diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java
index 218d43fd3b..00d5916e4a 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -18,10 +18,13 @@ package org.springframework.util;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Array;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 /**
  * Miscellaneous object utility methods.
- * Mainly for internal use within the framework.
+ *
+ * <p>Mainly for internal use within the framework.
  *
  * <p>Thanks to Alex Ruiz for contributing several enhancements to this class!
  *
@@ -30,7 +33,11 @@ import java.util.Arrays;
  * @author Rod Johnson
  * @author Rob Harrop
  * @author Chris Beams
+ * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 19.03.2004
+ * @see ClassUtils
+ * @see CollectionUtils
+ * @see StringUtils
  */
 public abstract class ObjectUtils {
 
@@ -92,11 +99,55 @@ public abstract class ObjectUtils {
 	 * Determine whether the given array is empty:
 	 * i.e. {@code null} or of zero length.
 	 * @param array the array to check
+	 * @see #isEmpty(Object)
 	 */
 	public static boolean isEmpty(Object[] array) {
 		return (array == null || array.length == 0);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Determine whether the given object is empty.
+	 * <p>This method supports the following object types.
+	 * <ul>
+	 * <li>{@code Array}: considered empty if its length is zero</li>
+	 * <li>{@link CharSequence}: considered empty if its length is zero</li>
+	 * <li>{@link Collection}: delegates to {@link Collection#isEmpty()}</li>
+	 * <li>{@link Map}: delegates to {@link Map#isEmpty()}</li>
+	 * </ul>
+	 * <p>If the given object is non-null and not one of the aforementioned
+	 * supported types, this method returns {@code false}.
+	 * @param obj the object to check
+	 * @return {@code true} if the object is {@code null} or <em>empty</em>
+	 * @since 4.2
+	 * @see ObjectUtils#isEmpty(Object[])
+	 * @see StringUtils#hasLength(CharSequence)
+	 * @see StringUtils#isEmpty(Object)
+	 * @see CollectionUtils#isEmpty(java.util.Collection)
+	 * @see CollectionUtils#isEmpty(java.util.Map)
+	 */
+	@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
+	public static boolean isEmpty(Object obj) {
+		if (obj == null) {
+			return true;
+		}
+
+		if (obj.getClass().isArray()) {
+			return Array.getLength(obj) == 0;
+		}
+		if (obj instanceof CharSequence) {
+			return ((CharSequence) obj).length() == 0;
+		}
+		if (obj instanceof Collection) {
+			return ((Collection) obj).isEmpty();
+		}
+		if (obj instanceof Map) {
+			return ((Map) obj).isEmpty();
+		}
+
+		// else
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Check whether the given array contains the given element.
 	 * @param array the array to check (may be {@code null},
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtilsTests.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtilsTests.java
index ce796d0c1a..07bc3a0d57 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtilsTests.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtilsTests.java
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ package org.springframework.util;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -25,6 +30,7 @@ import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.*;
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+import static org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils.*;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests for {@link ObjectUtils}.
@@ -84,6 +90,58 @@ public class ObjectUtilsTests {
 		assertTrue(ObjectUtils.isCompatibleWithThrowsClause(new Throwable(), throwable));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void isEmptyNull() {
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(null));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void isEmptyArray() {
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(new char[0]));
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(new Object[0]));
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(new Integer[0]));
+
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(new int[] { 42 }));
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(new Integer[] { new Integer(42) }));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void isEmptyCollection() {
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(Collections.emptyList()));
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(Collections.emptySet()));
+
+		Set<String> set = new HashSet<String>();
+		set.add("foo");
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(set));
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(Arrays.asList("foo")));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void isEmptyMap() {
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(Collections.emptyMap()));
+
+		HashMap<String, Object> map = new HashMap<String, Object>();
+		map.put("foo", 42L);
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(map));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void isEmptyCharSequence() {
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(new StringBuilder()));
+		assertTrue(isEmpty(""));
+
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(new StringBuilder("foo")));
+		assertFalse(isEmpty("   "));
+		assertFalse(isEmpty("\t"));
+		assertFalse(isEmpty("foo"));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void isEmptyUnsupportedObjectType() {
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(42L));
+		assertFalse(isEmpty(new Object()));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void toObjectArray() {
 		int[] a = new int[] {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};