diff --git a/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc b/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc
index df3d1cf..e8c70ad 100644
--- a/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc
+++ b/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@
     iter = parsed_options.find("reuse-objects");
     reuse_objects_ = (iter != parsed_options.end());
 
+    iter = parsed_options.find("option_type");
+    use_option_type_ = (iter != parsed_options.end());
+
     out_dir_base_ = (bean_style_ ? "gen-javabean" : "gen-java");
   }
 
@@ -336,6 +339,7 @@
   bool java5_;
   bool sorted_containers_;
   bool reuse_objects_;
+  bool use_option_type_;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -385,17 +389,25 @@
 string t_java_generator::java_type_imports() {
   string hash_builder;
   string tree_set_and_map;
+  string option;
   if (sorted_containers_) {
     tree_set_and_map = string() + "import java.util.TreeSet;\n" + "import java.util.TreeMap;\n";
   }
 
+  if (use_option_type_) {
+    option = string() +
+      "import org.apache.thrift.Option;\n";
+  }
+
   return string() + hash_builder + "import org.apache.thrift.scheme.IScheme;\n"
          + "import org.apache.thrift.scheme.SchemeFactory;\n"
          + "import org.apache.thrift.scheme.StandardScheme;\n\n"
          + "import org.apache.thrift.scheme.TupleScheme;\n"
          + "import org.apache.thrift.protocol.TTupleProtocol;\n"
          + "import org.apache.thrift.protocol.TProtocolException;\n"
-         + "import org.apache.thrift.EncodingUtils;\n" + "import org.apache.thrift.TException;\n"
+         + "import org.apache.thrift.EncodingUtils;\n"
+         + option
+         + "import org.apache.thrift.TException;\n"
          + "import org.apache.thrift.async.AsyncMethodCallback;\n"
          + "import org.apache.thrift.server.AbstractNonblockingServer.*;\n"
          + "import java.util.List;\n" + "import java.util.ArrayList;\n" + "import java.util.Map;\n"
@@ -2017,16 +2029,7 @@
                                                    string cap_name) {
   indent(out) << "case " << constant_name(field_name) << ":" << endl;
   indent_up();
-
-  if (type->is_base_type() && !type->is_string()) {
-    t_base_type* base_type = (t_base_type*)type;
-
-    indent(out) << "return " << type_name(type, true, false) << ".valueOf("
-                << (base_type->is_bool() ? "is" : "get") << cap_name << "());" << endl << endl;
-  } else {
-    indent(out) << "return get" << cap_name << "();" << endl << endl;
-  }
-
+  indent(out) << "return " << (type->is_bool() ? "is" : "get") << cap_name << "();" << endl << endl;
   indent_down();
 }
 
@@ -2130,17 +2133,36 @@
     t_type* type = get_true_type(field->get_type());
     std::string field_name = field->get_name();
     std::string cap_name = get_cap_name(field_name);
+    bool optional = use_option_type_ && field->get_req() == t_field::e_req::T_OPTIONAL;
 
     if (type->is_container()) {
       // Method to return the size of the collection
-      indent(out) << "public int get" << cap_name;
-      out << get_cap_name("size() {") << endl;
+      if (optional) {
+        indent(out) << "public Option<Integer> get" << cap_name;
+        out << get_cap_name("size() {") << endl;
 
-      indent_up();
-      indent(out) << "return (this." << field_name << " == null) ? 0 : "
-                  << "this." << field_name << ".size();" << endl;
-      indent_down();
-      indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "if (this." << field_name << " == null) {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return Option.none();" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "} else {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return Option.some(this." << field_name << ".size());" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
+      } else {
+        indent(out) << "public int get" << cap_name;
+        out << get_cap_name("size() {") << endl;
+
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return (this." << field_name << " == null) ? 0 : " <<
+           "this." << field_name << ".size();" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
+      }
     }
 
     if (type->is_set() || type->is_list()) {
@@ -2152,15 +2174,34 @@
       }
 
       // Iterator getter for sets and lists
-      indent(out) << "public java.util.Iterator<" << type_name(element_type, true, false) << "> get"
-                  << cap_name;
-      out << get_cap_name("iterator() {") << endl;
+      if (optional) {
+        indent(out) << "public Option<java.util.Iterator<" <<
+          type_name(element_type, true, false) <<  ">> get" << cap_name;
+        out << get_cap_name("iterator() {") << endl;
 
-      indent_up();
-      indent(out) << "return (this." << field_name << " == null) ? null : "
-                  << "this." << field_name << ".iterator();" << endl;
-      indent_down();
-      indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "if (this." << field_name << " == null) {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return Option.none();" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "} else {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return Option.some(this." << field_name << ".iterator());" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
+      } else {
+        indent(out) << "public java.util.Iterator<" <<
+          type_name(element_type, true, false) <<  "> get" << cap_name;
+        out << get_cap_name("iterator() {") << endl;
+
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return (this." << field_name << " == null) ? null : " <<
+          "this." << field_name << ".iterator();" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
+      }
 
       // Add to set or list, create if the set/list is null
       indent(out);
@@ -2215,17 +2256,42 @@
                   << endl;
       indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
     } else {
-      indent(out) << "public " << type_name(type);
-      if (type->is_base_type() && ((t_base_type*)type)->get_base() == t_base_type::TYPE_BOOL) {
-        out << " is";
+      if (optional) {
+        indent(out) << "public Option<" << type_name(type, true) << ">";
+        if (type->is_base_type() &&
+            ((t_base_type*)type)->get_base() == t_base_type::TYPE_BOOL) {
+          out << " is";
+        } else {
+          out << " get";
+        }
+        out << cap_name << "() {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+
+        indent(out) << "if (this.isSet" << cap_name << "()) {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return Option.some(this." << field_name << ");" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "} else {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return Option.none();" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
       } else {
-        out << " get";
+        indent(out) << "public " << type_name(type);
+        if (type->is_base_type() &&
+            ((t_base_type*)type)->get_base() == t_base_type::TYPE_BOOL) {
+          out << " is";
+        } else {
+          out << " get";
+        }
+        out << cap_name << "() {" << endl;
+        indent_up();
+        indent(out) << "return this." << field_name << ";" << endl;
+        indent_down();
+        indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
       }
-      out << cap_name << "() {" << endl;
-      indent_up();
-      indent(out) << "return this." << field_name << ";" << endl;
-      indent_down();
-      indent(out) << "}" << endl << endl;
     }
 
     // Simple setter
@@ -5029,6 +5095,7 @@
     "    android:         Generated structures are Parcelable.\n"
     "    android_legacy:  Do not use java.io.IOException(throwable) (available for Android 2.3 and "
     "above).\n"
+    "    option_type:     Wrap optional fields in an Option type.\n"
     "    java5:           Generate Java 1.5 compliant code (includes android_legacy flag).\n"
     "    reuse-objects:   Data objects will not be allocated, but existing instances will be used "
     "(read and write).\n"
diff --git a/lib/java/src/org/apache/thrift/Option.java b/lib/java/src/org/apache/thrift/Option.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db25ec5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/java/src/org/apache/thrift/Option.java
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership. The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.apache.thrift;
+
+/**
+ * Implementation of the Option type pattern
+ */
+public abstract class Option<T> {
+
+    /**
+     * Whether the Option is defined or not
+     * @return
+     *         true if the Option is defined (of type Some)
+     *         false if the Option is not defined (of type None)
+     */
+    public abstract boolean isDefined();
+
+    /**
+     * Get the value of the Option (if it is defined)
+     * @return the value
+     * @throws IllegalStateException if called on a None
+     */
+    public abstract T get();
+
+    /**
+     * Get the contained value (if defined) or else return a default value
+     * @param other what to return if the value is not defined (a None)
+     * @return either the value, or other if the value is not defined
+     */
+    public T or(T other) {
+        if (isDefined()) {
+            return get();
+        } else {
+            return other;
+        }
+    }
+    /**
+     * The None type, representing an absent value (instead of "null")
+     */
+    public static class None<T> extends Option<T> {
+        public boolean isDefined() {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        public T get() {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Cannot call get() on None");
+        }
+
+        public String toString() {
+            return "None";
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The Some type, representing an existence of some value
+     * @param <T> The type of value
+     */
+    public static class Some<T> extends Option<T> {
+        private final T value;
+        public Some(T value) {
+            this.value = value;
+        }
+
+        public boolean isDefined() {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        public T get() {
+            return value;
+        }
+
+        public String toString() {
+            return "Some("+value.toString()+")";
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Wraps value in an Option type, depending on whether or not value is null
+     * @param value
+     * @param <T> type of value
+     * @return Some(value) if value is not null, None if value is null
+     */
+    public static <T> Option<T> fromNullable(T value) {
+        if (value != null) {
+            return new Some<T>(value);
+        } else {
+            return new None<T>();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Wrap value in a Some type (NB! value must not be null!)
+     * @param value
+     * @param <T> type of value
+     * @return a new Some(value)
+     */
+    public static <T> Some<T> some(T value) {
+        return new Some<T>(value);
+    }
+
+    public static <T> None<T> none() {
+        return new None<T>();
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/java/test/org/apache/thrift/TestOptionType.java b/lib/java/test/org/apache/thrift/TestOptionType.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f70285f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/java/test/org/apache/thrift/TestOptionType.java
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership. The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.apache.thrift;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+import org.apache.thrift.Option;
+
+// Tests and documents behavior for the "Option<T>" type
+public class TestOptionType extends TestCase {
+    public void testSome() throws Exception {
+        String name = "Chuck Norris";
+        Option<String> option = Option.fromNullable(name);
+
+        assertTrue(option instanceof Option.Some);
+        assertTrue(option.isDefined());
+        assertEquals("Some(Chuck Norris)", option.toString());
+        assertEquals(option.or("default value"), "Chuck Norris");
+        assertEquals(option.get(),"Chuck Norris");
+    }
+
+    public void testNone() throws Exception {
+        String name = null;
+        Option<String> option = Option.fromNullable(name);
+
+        assertTrue(option instanceof Option.None);
+        assertFalse(option.isDefined());
+        assertEquals("None", option.toString());
+        assertEquals(option.or("default value"), "default value");
+        // Expect exception
+        try {
+            Object value = option.get();
+            fail("Expected IllegalStateException, got no exception");
+        } catch (IllegalStateException ex) {
+
+        } catch(Exception ex) {
+            fail("Expected IllegalStateException, got some other exception: "+ex.toString());
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void testMakeSome() throws Exception {
+        Option<String> some = Option.some("wee");
+        assertTrue(some instanceof Option.Some);
+    }
+
+    public void testMakeNone() throws Exception {
+        Option<Integer> none = Option.none();
+        assertTrue(none instanceof Option.None);
+    }
+}