diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b602636..acabfd4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -139,6 +139,29 @@ If you `@emulate` an already defined type, nothing will be done (not even any ou
 Zero-bit types are rejected: `@emulate Int0` and `@emulate UInt0` throw an
 `ArgumentError`, since a 0-bit integer carries no information.
 
+## Summation
+
+General `sum` reductions widen emulated integers whose logical width is less
+than the machine word size to `Int` or `UInt`, according to signedness. This
+also applies to types with explicitly oversized storage. Wider emulated
+integers retain their type and modular arithmetic.
+
+```julia
+@emulate Int3
+sum(Int3[3, 3]) # 6 :: Int, without overflowing Int3
+```
+
+This behavior supports arrays, mapped sums, and iterators, including nonempty
+containers with abstract or union element types. Empty same-signed unions of
+small emulated types also produce a machine-word zero. Containers without a
+suitable empty identity still require `init`. Specialized range sums retain
+Base's range behavior.
+
+Support on current Julia releases uses private Base reduction hooks. A
+compatibility check verifies their availability and built-in widening behavior
+before installing the extensions during precompilation. Incompatible hooks
+cause an explicit error rather than silently disabling widening.
+
 ## Querying and converting types
 
 The package exposes a few helpers usable on both emulated and standard integers.
diff --git a/src/EmulatedBitIntegers.jl b/src/EmulatedBitIntegers.jl
index 4afe5d8..8564c3b 100644
--- a/src/EmulatedBitIntegers.jl
+++ b/src/EmulatedBitIntegers.jl
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ include("IntegerType.jl")
 include("interface.jl")
 include("methods.jl")
 include("emulate.jl")
+include("reductions.jl")
 
 # `emulate` only builds an `Expr` (no `eval`), so calling it here exercises the macro pipeline without defining real types or polluting any module. Cover the four distinct branches: unsigned default-storage, signed default-storage, explicit non-default storage, and `redundant_storage_request` (suffix matches the default → produces a `const` alias).
 @compile_workload begin
diff --git a/src/reductions.jl b/src/reductions.jl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d530a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/reductions.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"""
+    sum_hooks_compatible()
+
+Check the private reduction hooks required for small-integer sum widening.
+
+This check runs before installing the extensions during package precompilation.
+Integration tests verify that `sum` actually uses these hooks.
+"""
+function sum_hooks_compatible()
+    all(name -> isdefined(Base, name) && getfield(Base, name) isa Function,
+        (:add_sum, :reduce_first, :reduce_empty)) || return false
+    add = Base.add_sum
+    first = Base.reduce_first
+    empty = Base.reduce_empty
+    for (Small, Accumulator, left, right) in ((Int8, Int, 100, 28), (UInt8, UInt, 200, 100))
+        applicable(add, Small(left), Small(right)) || return false
+        applicable(first, add, Small(1)) || return false
+        applicable(empty, add, Small) || return false
+        add(Small(left), Small(right)) === Accumulator(left + right) || return false
+        first(add, Small(1)) === Accumulator(1) || return false
+        empty(add, Small) === zero(Accumulator) || return false
+    end
+    return true
+end
+
+function sumtype(::Type{T}) where T<:EmulatedInteger
+    if isconcretetype(T)
+        return bits(T) < bits(Int) ? (T <: Signed ? Int : UInt) : T
+    elseif T isa Union
+        targets = map(sumtype, Base.uniontypes(T))
+        allequal(targets) && return first(targets)
+    end
+    return T
+end
+sumvalue(x::Number) = x
+sumvalue(x::EmulatedInteger) = sumtype(typeof(x))(x)
+
+if sum_hooks_compatible()
+    Base.add_sum(x::EmulatedInteger, y::Real) = sumvalue(x) + sumvalue(y)
+    Base.add_sum(x::Real, y::EmulatedInteger) = sumvalue(x) + sumvalue(y)
+    Base.add_sum(x::EmulatedInteger, y::EmulatedInteger) = sumvalue(x) + sumvalue(y)
+    Base.reduce_first(::typeof(Base.add_sum), x::EmulatedInteger) = sumvalue(x)
+    Base.reduce_empty(::typeof(Base.add_sum), ::Type{T}) where T<:EmulatedInteger = zero(sumtype(T))
+else
+    error("Unsupported Base sum internals for Julia $VERSION")
+end
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diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 8a838ab..1b5bcd4 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ values(x) = x |> fieldvalues |> collect
 @emulate(UInt1_64, UInt3_64, Int4_8, Int4_16, Int7_16, Int20_32)
 
 include("comparisons.jl")
+include("sums.jl")
 
 # ============================================================================
 # Static analysis
diff --git a/test/sums.jl b/test/sums.jl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c13f16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sums.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+@testset "sum widening" begin
+    @emulate Int3 UInt3 Int9 UInt9 Int3_128 UInt3_128 Int63 UInt63 Int65 UInt65
+
+    @test EmulatedBitIntegers.sum_hooks_compatible()
+
+    for Element in (Int3, UInt3, Int9, UInt9, Int3_128, UInt3_128, Int63, UInt63, Int65, UInt65)
+        Accumulator = bits(Element) < bits(Int) ? Element <: Signed ? Int : UInt : Element
+        for count in (0, 1, 2, 17, 2048)
+            values = fill(Element(1), count)
+            expected = count % Accumulator
+            @test sum(values) === expected
+            @test sum(identity, values) === expected
+            @test sum(value for value in values) === expected
+            @test sum(Iterators.filter(_ -> true, values)) === expected
+            @test sum(values; init=zero(Accumulator)) === expected
+            @test sum(reshape(values, count, 1); dims=1) == fill(expected, 1, 1)
+            @test eltype(sum(reshape(values, count, 1); dims=1)) === Accumulator
+            if count > 0
+                @test sum(Integer[values...]) === expected
+                @test sum(Any[values...]) === expected
+            end
+        end
+    end
+
+    @test sum(Int3[3, 3]) === 6
+    @test sum(UInt3[7, 7]) === UInt(14)
+    @test (@inferred sum(Int3[3, 3])) === 6
+    @test (@inferred sum(UInt3[7, 7])) === UInt(14)
+    @test sum(fill(Int3(3), 2, 3); dims=2) == fill(9, 2, 1)
+    @test eltype(sum(fill(Int3(3), 2, 3); dims=2)) === Int
+    @test sum(fill(UInt3(7), 2, 3); dims=2) == fill(UInt(21), 2, 1)
+    @test eltype(sum(fill(UInt3(7), 2, 3); dims=2)) === UInt
+    @test sum(Union{Int3,Int9}[Int3(3) Int9(4)]; dims=2) == fill(7, 1, 1)
+    @test eltype(sum(Union{Int3,Int9}[Int3(3) Int9(4)]; dims=2)) === Int
+    @test sum(Integer[Int3(3) Int9(4)]; dims=2) == fill(7, 1, 1)
+    @test sum(Any[Int3(3) Int9(4)]; dims=2) == fill(7, 1, 1)
+    @test sum(Union{Int3,Int9}[Int3(3), Int9(4)]) === 7
+    @test sum(Union{Int,Int3}[Int3(3), 4]) === 7
+    @test sum(Union{UInt3,UInt9}[UInt3(7), UInt9(8)]) === UInt(15)
+    @test sum(Union{Int3,Int9}[]) === 0
+    @test sum(Union{UInt3,UInt9}[]) === UInt(0)
+    @test sum(Union{Int,Int3}[]) === 0
+    @test_throws MethodError sum(Union{Int3,UInt3}[])
+    @test_throws MethodError sum(EmulatedBitIntegers.EmulatedInteger[])
+    @test sum(Int3[1, 2]; init=0.5) === 3.5
+    @test sum(Int3[1, 2]; init=Int3(0)) === 3
+    @test sum(Int3[]; init=Int3(0)) === Int3(0)
+    @test sum(Int3[1, 2]; init=big(0)) == big(3)
+    @test sum(Int3[1, 2]; init=0//1) === 3//1
+    @test sum(Int3[1, 2]; init=0 + 1im) === 3 + 1im
+    @test_throws MethodError sum(Any[])
+    @test sum(Any[]; init=0) === 0
+    @test sum(Integer[]) === sum(Integer[]; init=0)
+    @test sum(value -> Int3(value), 1:3) === 6
+    @test sum(Int3(1):Int3(3)) === 6
+    @test sum(UInt3(1):UInt3(3)) === sum(UInt8(1):UInt8(3))
+end
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