diff --git a/docs/getting-started/quickstart.md b/docs/getting-started/quickstart.md
index b463478c..c5030121 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started/quickstart.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started/quickstart.md
@@ -96,9 +96,10 @@ def LICENSE() -> str:
     return "GPL"
 ```
 
-* The Linux kernel requires BPF programs to declare a license
+* The Linux kernel reads a license from every BPF program
 * Most kernel features require GPL-compatible licenses
 * This is defined as a BPF global variable
+* If you leave it out, PythonBPF uses `"GPL"` and logs a warning saying so
 
 ### Compilation and Execution
 
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@ def xdp_pass(ctx: c_void_p) -> c_int64:
 
 ## Best Practices
 
-1. **Always include a LICENSE** - Required by the kernel
+1. **Declare a LICENSE** - Without one, PythonBPF defaults to `"GPL"` and warns
 2. **Use type hints** - Required by PythonBPF to generate correct code
 3. **Return the correct type** - Match the expected return type for your program type
 4. **Test incrementally** - Start simple and add complexity gradually
diff --git a/docs/user-guide/decorators.md b/docs/user-guide/decorators.md
index c884fc6c..c541cdad 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide/decorators.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/decorators.md
@@ -281,9 +281,10 @@ BPF global variables are values that:
 
 ### Common Global Variables
 
-#### LICENSE (Required)
+#### LICENSE
 
-Every BPF program must declare a license:
+Every BPF program carries a license, which the kernel reads when the program is
+loaded. Declare it as a string global:
 
 ```python
 @bpf
@@ -292,14 +293,24 @@ def LICENSE() -> str:
     return "GPL"
 ```
 
-Valid licenses include:
+If a program defines no `LICENSE`, PythonBPF uses `"GPL"`, the kernel's own
+license, and logs a warning:
+
+```text
+No LICENSE defined; defaulting to "GPL". Define @bpf @bpfglobal def LICENSE() -> str to choose another license.
+```
+
+Define `LICENSE` yourself to choose a different license or to silence the
+warning. The kernel treats these as GPL-compatible:
 * `"GPL"` - GNU General Public License
 * `"GPL v2"` - GPL version 2
+* `"GPL and additional rights"`
 * `"Dual BSD/GPL"` - Dual licensed
 * `"Dual MIT/GPL"` - Dual licensed
+* `"Dual MPL/GPL"` - Dual licensed
 
 ```{warning}
-Many BPF features require a GPL-compatible license. Using a non-GPL license may prevent your program from loading or accessing certain kernel features.
+Many BPF features require a GPL-compatible license. A program with any other license may not call GPL-only helpers, including `bpf_trace_printk`, which `print()` uses; the verifier rejects it with "cannot call GPL-restricted function from non-GPL compatible program".
 ```
 
 #### Custom Global Variables
diff --git a/docs/user-guide/index.md b/docs/user-guide/index.md
index a7504f93..07d6a4df 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide/index.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/index.md
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def my_function(ctx: c_void_p) -> c_int64:
     # BPF logic here
     return 0
 
-# License (required)
+# License (optional: without one, PythonBPF uses "GPL" and logs a warning)
 @bpf
 @bpfglobal
 def LICENSE() -> str:
diff --git a/pythonbpf/license_pass.py b/pythonbpf/license_pass.py
index 425b1979..64e799c8 100644
--- a/pythonbpf/license_pass.py
+++ b/pythonbpf/license_pass.py
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 
 logger: Logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# The license a program gets when it declares none. The kernel is GPL, and a
+# program whose license is not GPL-compatible may not call GPL-only helpers
+# (bpf_trace_printk, which `print` lowers to, is one).
+DEFAULT_LICENSE = "GPL"
+
 
 def emit_license(module: ir.Module, license_str: str):
     license_bytes = license_str.encode("utf8") + b"\x00"
@@ -24,7 +29,10 @@ def emit_license(module: ir.Module, license_str: str):
 
 
 def license_processing(tree, compilation_context):
-    """Process the LICENSE function decorated with @bpf and @bpfglobal and return the section name"""
+    """Process the LICENSE function decorated with @bpf and @bpfglobal and return the section name.
+
+    A program without one gets DEFAULT_LICENSE, with a warning.
+    """
     count = 0
     for node in tree.body:
         if isinstance(node, ast.FunctionDef) and node.name == "LICENSE":
@@ -52,4 +60,10 @@ def license_processing(tree, compilation_context):
                         )
                 else:
                     raise SyntaxError("ERROR: Multiple LICENSE globals defined")
-    return None
+
+    logger.warning(
+        f'No LICENSE defined; defaulting to "{DEFAULT_LICENSE}". Define '
+        "@bpf @bpfglobal def LICENSE() -> str to choose another license."
+    )
+    emit_license(compilation_context.module, DEFAULT_LICENSE)
+    return "LICENSE"
diff --git a/tests/failing_tests/license.py b/tests/failing_tests/license.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 9853ab72..00000000
--- a/tests/failing_tests/license.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-from pythonbpf import compile, bpf, section
-from ctypes import c_void_p, c_int64
-
-
-# FAILS WHEN THERE IS NO LICENSE. which is wrong.
-@bpf
-@section("sometag1")
-def sometag(ctx: c_void_p) -> c_int64:
-    a = 1 + 2
-    print(f"{a}")
-    return c_int64(0)
-
-
-compile()
diff --git a/tests/failing_tests/license_non_gpl.py b/tests/failing_tests/license_non_gpl.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ec84455
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/failing_tests/license_non_gpl.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# A license that is not GPL-compatible may not call GPL-only helpers: `print`
+# lowers to bpf_trace_printk, so the verifier rejects this program. The
+# counterpart of passing_tests/license_default.py, which proves the default
+# license is GPL.
+
+from pythonbpf import compile, bpf, bpfglobal, section
+from ctypes import c_void_p, c_int64
+
+
+@bpf
+@section("tracepoint/syscalls/sys_enter_getpid")
+def sometag(ctx: c_void_p) -> c_int64:
+    print("hello")
+    return c_int64(0)
+
+
+@bpf
+@bpfglobal
+def LICENSE() -> str:
+    return "Proprietary"
+
+
+compile()
diff --git a/tests/passing_tests/license_default.py b/tests/passing_tests/license_default.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6b2e554
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/passing_tests/license_default.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# No LICENSE: the program gets "GPL", with a warning. `print` lowers to
+# bpf_trace_printk, which is GPL-only, so the verifier only accepts this
+# program if the default license reaches the kernel.
+
+from pythonbpf import compile, bpf, section
+from ctypes import c_void_p, c_int64
+
+
+@bpf
+@section("tracepoint/syscalls/sys_enter_getpid")
+def sometag(ctx: c_void_p) -> c_int64:
+    a = 1 + 2
+    print(f"{a}")
+    return c_int64(0)
+
+
+compile()
diff --git a/tests/test_config.toml b/tests/test_config.toml
index 453650f2..7e67d0ca 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.toml
+++ b/tests/test_config.toml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 "failing_tests/return_struct.py" = {reason = "Returning a struct value from an integer function is a type error (nothing to dereference to an integer)", level = "ir"}
 
-"failing_tests/license.py" = {reason = "Missing LICENSE global produces IR that llc rejects — should be caught earlier with a clear error message", level = "llc"}
+"failing_tests/license_non_gpl.py" = {reason = "Negative fixture: a non-GPL license may not call the GPL-only bpf_trace_printk that print lowers to", level = "verifier", match = "cannot call GPL-restricted function from non-GPL compatible program"}
 
 "failing_tests/undeclared_values.py" = {reason = "Undeclared variable used in f-string — should raise SyntaxError (correct behaviour, test documents it)", level = "ir"}
 
diff --git a/tests/test_license_ir.py b/tests/test_license_ir.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bff5eacd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_license_ir.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"""
+The license section: a program without LICENSE gets "GPL", with a warning,
+and an explicit LICENSE is emitted as written, with no warning.
+"""
+
+import logging
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from tests.framework.compiler import run_ir_generation
+
+TESTS_DIR = Path(__file__).parent
+
+
+def _license_global(text):
+    """The LICENSE global as compile_to_ir emits it: NUL-terminated bytes."""
+    data = text.encode() + b"\x00"
+    elems = ", ".join(f"i8 {b}" for b in data)
+    return (
+        f'@"LICENSE" = dso_local global [{len(data)} x i8] [{elems}], section "license"'
+    )
+
+
+def _license_ir(name, tmp_path, caplog):
+    ll_path = tmp_path / "output.ll"
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING, logger="pythonbpf.license_pass"):
+        run_ir_generation(TESTS_DIR / name, ll_path)
+    warnings = [
+        r.getMessage() for r in caplog.records if r.name == "pythonbpf.license_pass"
+    ]
+    return ll_path.read_text(), warnings
+
+
+def test_missing_license_defaults_to_gpl(tmp_path, caplog):
+    ir, warnings = _license_ir("passing_tests/license_default.py", tmp_path, caplog)
+    assert _license_global("GPL") in ir
+    assert any('defaulting to "GPL"' in w for w in warnings), warnings
+
+
+def test_explicit_license_is_kept(tmp_path, caplog):
+    ir, warnings = _license_ir("failing_tests/license_non_gpl.py", tmp_path, caplog)
+    assert _license_global("Proprietary") in ir
+    assert not warnings, warnings