diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/d/interface.dd b/M2/Macaulay2/d/interface.dd
index b25a030e876..5fd8782f82f 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/d/interface.dd
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/d/interface.dd
@@ -2262,6 +2262,13 @@ export rawPfaffians(e:Expr):Expr := (
      );
 setupfun("rawPfaffians",rawPfaffians);
 
+export rawPfaffian(e:Expr):Expr := (
+    when e
+    is M:RawMatrixCell do toExpr(Ccode(RawRingElementOrNull,
+	    "IM2_Matrix_pfaffian(", M.p, ")"))
+    else WrongArgMatrix());
+setupfun("rawPfaffian", rawPfaffian);
+
 export rawTensor(e:Expr):Expr := (
      when e is s:Sequence do
      when s.0
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.cpp b/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.cpp
index aac6c3d5b64..374543f6d55 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.cpp
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.cpp
@@ -556,6 +556,11 @@ const Matrix /* or null */ *IM2_Matrix_pfaffians(int p, const Matrix *M)
   return M->pfaffians(p);
 }
 
+const RingElement /* or null */ *IM2_Matrix_pfaffian(const Matrix *M)
+{
+  return RingElement::make_raw(M->get_ring(), M->pfaffian());
+}
+
 const Matrix /* or null */ *IM2_Matrix_diff(const Matrix *M, const Matrix *N)
 {
   return M->diff(N, 1);
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.h b/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.h
index fe006c39c09..1ef6d1cc426 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.h
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/e/interface/matrix.h
@@ -241,6 +241,9 @@ const Matrix /* or null */ *IM2_Matrix_pfaffians(
     int p,
     const Matrix *M); /* drg: connected rawPfaffians*/
 
+const RingElement /* or null */ *IM2_Matrix_pfaffian(
+    const Matrix *M);
+
 const Matrix *rawMatrixCompress(
     const Matrix *M); /* connected rawMatrixCompress */
 
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/e/matrix.hpp b/M2/Macaulay2/e/matrix.hpp
index 30a82163436..29016a1eadf 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/e/matrix.hpp
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/e/matrix.hpp
@@ -165,7 +165,10 @@ class Matrix : public EngineObject
                                M2_arrayintOrNull first_col   // possibly NULL
                                ) const;
 
-  Matrix *pfaffians(int p) const;  // in pfaff.cpp
+  // in pfaff.cpp
+  Matrix *pfaffians(int p) const;
+  ring_elem pfaffian() const;
+
   static Matrix *wedge_product(int p, int q, const FreeModule *F);
   //  static Matrix wedge_dual(int p, const FreeModule *F);
 
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.cpp b/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.cpp
index 6289036387b..6116a47cfcb 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.cpp
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ int PfaffianComputation::step()
 {
   if (done) return COMP_DONE;
 
-  ring_elem r = calc_pfaff(row_set, p);
+  ring_elem r = calc_pfaff();
   if (!R->is_zero(r))
     pfaffs.append(R->make_vec(0, r));
   else
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ int PfaffianComputation::calc(int nsteps)
     }
 }
 
+ring_elem PfaffianComputation::calc_pfaff(void)
+{
+  return calc_pfaff(row_set, p);
+}
+
 ring_elem PfaffianComputation::calc_pfaff(size_t *r, int p2)
 // Compute the pfaffian of the (skew symmetric)
 // minor with rows and columns r[0]..r[p2-1].
@@ -105,6 +110,13 @@ Matrix *Matrix::pfaffians(int p) const
   return d.pfaffians();
 }
 
+ring_elem Matrix::pfaffian() const
+{
+  PfaffianComputation d {this, n_cols()};
+
+  return d.calc_pfaff();
+}
+
 // Local Variables:
 // compile-command: "make -C $M2BUILDDIR/Macaulay2/e "
 // indent-tabs-mode: nil
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.hpp b/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.hpp
index fd9534e3e86..a9481cd3fa6 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.hpp
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/e/pfaff.hpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class PfaffianComputation : public our_new_delete
 
   Matrix *pfaffians() { return pfaffs.to_matrix(); }
   const Ring *get_ring() const { return R; }
+  ring_elem calc_pfaff(void);
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/exports.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/exports.m2
index 397d91e09a0..f0434fa4f46 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/exports.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/exports.m2
@@ -1000,6 +1000,7 @@ export {
 	"peek'",
 	"permanents",
 	"permutations",
+	"pfaffian",
 	"pfaffians",
 	"pi",
 	"pivots",
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/multilin.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/multilin.m2
index 0621c4e6108..0462e7529d0 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/multilin.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/multilin.m2
@@ -157,6 +157,16 @@ pfaffians = method(TypicalValue => Ideal)
 pfaffians(ZZ, Matrix) := (j, m) -> (
      ideal(map(ring m, rawPfaffians(j,raw m))))
 
+pfaffian = method()
+pfaffian Matrix := M -> (
+    if (
+	numRows M != numColumns M or
+	not zero(M + transpose M))
+    then error "expected a skew symmetric matrix";
+    if odd numRows M then 0_(ring M)
+    else if numRows M == 0 then 1_(ring M)
+    else promote(rawPfaffian raw M, ring M))
+
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- trace and determinant
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions.m2
index 7f760685903..0698e319e32 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions.m2
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ load "./functions/pdim-doc.m2"
 load "./functions/peek-doc.m2"
 load "./functions/permanents-doc.m2"
 load "./functions/permutations-doc.m2"
+load "./functions/pfaffian-doc.m2"
 load "./functions/pfaffians-doc.m2"
 load "./functions/pivots-doc.m2"
 load "./functions/poincare-doc.m2"
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions/pfaffian-doc.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions/pfaffian-doc.m2
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24903903b34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions/pfaffian-doc.m2
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+doc ///
+  Key
+     pfaffian
+    (pfaffian, Matrix)
+  Headline
+    Pfaffian of a skew-symmetric matrix
+  Usage
+    pfaffian M
+  Inputs
+    M:Matrix -- must be skew-symmetric
+  Outputs
+    :{Number,RingElement} -- the Pfaffian of @VAR "M"@
+  Description
+    Text
+      The @wikipedia "Pfaffian"@ of a $2n\times 2n$ skew-symmetric matrix
+      $M=(m_{ij})$ is
+      $$\frac{1}{2^nn!}\sum_{\sigma\in S_{2n}}\operatorname{sgn}(\sigma)\prod_{i=1}^nm_{\sigma(2i-1),\sigma(2i)},$$
+      where $S_n$ is the symmetric group on $2n$ elements.
+    Example
+      M = matrix {{0, 1, 2, 3}, {-1, 0, 4, 5}, {-2, -4, 0, 6}, {-3, -5, -6, 0}}
+      pfaffian M
+    Text
+      The square of the Pfaffian is the determinant.
+    Example
+      determinant M
+    Text
+      Skew-symmetric matrices with an odd number of rows and columns have
+      Pfaffian zero.
+    Example
+      M = matrix {{0, 1, 2}, {-1, 0, 3}, {-2, -3, 0}}
+      pfaffian M
+ SeeAlso
+   determinant
+   pfaffians
+///
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions/pfaffians-doc.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions/pfaffians-doc.m2
index e09985ee536..b7e262c8f35 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions/pfaffians-doc.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/functions/pfaffians-doc.m2
@@ -45,5 +45,5 @@ document {
           "The skew symmetry of ", TT "M", " is not checked, but the algorithm 
 	  proceeds as if it were, with somewhat unpredictable results!"
 	  },
-     SeeAlso => {det, "matrices"}
+     SeeAlso => {pfaffian, det, "matrices"}
      }
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_matrices.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_matrices.m2
index b1ddffd91c6..eebde98ff60 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_matrices.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_matrices.m2
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ document {
 	  "determinants and related computations",
 	  TO "rank of a matrix",
 	  TO "determinants and minors",
-	  TO "Pfaffians",
 	  TO "exterior power of a matrix",
 	  "display of matrices and saving matrices to a file",
 	  TO "format and display of matrices in Macaulay2",
@@ -635,16 +634,11 @@ document {
 	 TO determinant,
 	 TO permanents,
 	 TO pfaffians,
+	 TO pfaffian,
 	 TO fittingIdeal,
          },
      }
 
-document {
-     Key => "Pfaffians",
-     
-     SUBSECTION "pfaffians"
-     }
-
 document {
      Key => "exterior power of a matrix",
      "Since the ", TT "i", "-th exterior power is a functor, it applies 
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/pfaffians.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/pfaffians.m2
index 5273361c44a..c61b19ae5b9 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/pfaffians.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/pfaffians.m2
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ assert( pfaffians(1,m) == ideal(0_R) )
 assert( pfaffians(2,m) == ideal(a,b,c,d,e,f) )
 assert( pfaffians(3,m) == ideal(0_R) )
 assert( pfaffians(4,m) == ideal(c*d-b*e+a*f) )
+assert( pfaffian m == c*d-b*e+a*f )
 
+assert( pfaffian matrix {} == 1 )
 
 R = QQ[vars(0..9)]
 M = genericSkewMatrix(R,5)