diff --git a/src/Variant.cpp b/src/Variant.cpp
index b434426da..bcec3ab54 100644
--- a/src/Variant.cpp
+++ b/src/Variant.cpp
@@ -1763,6 +1763,19 @@ int Variant::type ()
   return _type;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+bool Variant::trivial () const
+{
+  return (_type == type_unknown)                      ||
+         (_type == type_integer  && _integer  == 0)   ||
+         (_type == type_real     && _real     == 0.0) ||
+         (_type == type_string   && _string   == "")  ||
+         (_type == type_date     && _date     == 0)   ||
+         (_type == type_duration && _duration == 0);
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 bool Variant::get_bool () const
 {
diff --git a/src/Variant.h b/src/Variant.h
index 77dcacc66..8073fdaf9 100644
--- a/src/Variant.h
+++ b/src/Variant.h
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ public:
 
   void cast (const enum type);
   int type ();
+  bool trivial () const;
 
   bool        get_bool () const;
   int         get_integer () const;