diff --git a/dune/common/shared_ptr.hh b/dune/common/shared_ptr.hh
index a6b99b6b0a7826112cfa3babc37a111c92e28f4b..8ffc4f85b9e3b51973950cf80606e4b69fec5715 100644
--- a/dune/common/shared_ptr.hh
+++ b/dune/common/shared_ptr.hh
@@ -112,6 +112,11 @@ namespace Dune
       return rep_==0 ? 0 : rep_->rep_;
     }
 
+    /** \brief Checks if shared_ptr manages an object, i.e. whether get() != 0. */
+    explicit operator bool() const {
+      return rep_ != 0 && rep_->rep_ != 0;
+    }
+
     /** \brief Swap content of this shared_ptr and another */
     inline void swap(shared_ptr& other);
 
diff --git a/dune/common/test/shared_ptrtest.cc b/dune/common/test/shared_ptrtest.cc
index 921a353a6ced2c536612faa618f27de45d9a87c9..aed314aae79d97f3bbb085b3b9a4262f89467fb9 100644
--- a/dune/common/test/shared_ptrtest.cc
+++ b/dune/common/test/shared_ptrtest.cc
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ int main(){
     shared_ptr<double> bar(new double(43.0));
     assert(bar);
 
+    // test constructor from nullptr
+    shared_ptr<double> bar_null(nullptr);
+    assert(!bar_null);
+    assert(!bar_null.get());
+
     // test reset()
     bar.reset();
     assert(!bar);