diff --git a/include/boost/program_options/variables_map.hpp b/include/boost/program_options/variables_map.hpp
index 362dedf283..5abadfefe8 100644
--- a/include/boost/program_options/variables_map.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/program_options/variables_map.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/any.hpp>
 #include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
+#include <boost/optional.hpp>
 
 #include <string>
 #include <map>
@@ -74,6 +75,16 @@ namespace boost { namespace program_options {
            return boost::any_cast<T&>(v);
        }
 
+       /** If stored value is of type T, returns optional<T> having that value.
+           If variable is empty, returns optional<T> having the none.
+           Otherwise, throws boost::bad_any_cast exception. */
+       template<class T>
+       optional<T> as_optional() const {
+           if (empty()) return none;
+
+           return as<T>();
+       }
+
         /// Returns true if no value is stored.
         bool empty() const;
         /** Returns true if the value was not explicitly
diff --git a/test/variable_map_test.cpp b/test/variable_map_test.cpp
index 04b43473d6..ced9cc4b58 100644
--- a/test/variable_map_test.cpp
+++ b/test/variable_map_test.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ void test_variable_map()
     BOOST_CHECK(vm.count("biz") == 1);
     BOOST_CHECK(vm["biz"].as<string>() == "3");
     BOOST_CHECK(vm["output"].as<string>() == "foo");
+    BOOST_CHECK(vm["bar"].as_optional<string>() == optional<string>("11"));
+    BOOST_CHECK(vm["buz"].as_optional<string>() == none);
 
     int i;
     desc.add_options()
@@ -71,6 +73,8 @@ void test_variable_map()
     BOOST_CHECK(vm2["zak"].as<int>() == 13);
     BOOST_CHECK(vm2["opt"].as<bool>() == false);
     BOOST_CHECK(i == 13);
+    BOOST_CHECK(vm2["zak"].as_optional<int>() == optional<int>(13));
+    BOOST_CHECK(vm2["zoo"].as_optional<int>() == none);
 
     options_description desc2;
     desc2.add_options()