diff --git a/python/core/auto_generated/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.sip.in b/python/core/auto_generated/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.sip.in
index 476e1e495c2d..07e2fca4843a 100644
--- a/python/core/auto_generated/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/auto_generated/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.sip.in
@@ -277,17 +277,19 @@ if point is outside data source extent.
 .. seealso:: :py:func:`sample`
 %End
 
-    virtual QVariant sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, const QgsRectangle &boundingBox = QgsRectangle(), int width = 0, int height = 0, int dpi = 96 );
+    virtual double sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band,
+                           bool *ok /Out/ = 0,
+                           const QgsRectangle &boundingBox = QgsRectangle(), int width = 0, int height = 0, int dpi = 96 );
 %Docstring
 Samples a raster value from the specified ``band`` found at the ``point`` position. The context
 parameters ``boundingBox``, ``width`` and ``height`` are important to identify
 on the same zoom level as a displayed map and to do effective
 caching (WCS). If context params are not specified the highest
-resolution is used. capabilities() may be used to test if format
-is supported by provider.
+resolution is used.
 
-A null QVariant will be returned if the point is outside data source extent, or an invalid
-band number was specified.
+If ``ok`` is specified and the point is outside data source extent, or an invalid
+band number was specified, then ``ok`` will be set to false. In this case the function will return
+a NaN value.
 
 .. seealso:: :py:func:`identify`
 
diff --git a/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.cpp b/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.cpp
index 2281da9ce70e..502944a11665 100644
--- a/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.cpp
@@ -300,12 +300,16 @@ QgsRasterIdentifyResult QgsRasterDataProvider::identify( const QgsPointXY &point
   return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( QgsRaster::IdentifyFormatValue, results );
 }
 
-QVariant QgsRasterDataProvider::sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, const QgsRectangle &boundingBox, int width, int height, int )
+double QgsRasterDataProvider::sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band,
+                                      bool *ok, const QgsRectangle &boundingBox, int width, int height, int )
 {
+  if ( ok )
+    *ok = false;
+
   if ( !extent().contains( point ) )
   {
     // Outside the raster
-    return QVariant();
+    return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
   }
 
   QgsRectangle finalExtent = boundingBox;
@@ -335,8 +339,10 @@ QVariant QgsRasterDataProvider::sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, const
   QgsRectangle pixelExtent( xMin, yMin, xMax, yMax );
 
   std::unique_ptr< QgsRasterBlock > bandBlock( block( band, pixelExtent, 1, 1 ) );
+  if ( bandBlock && ok )
+    *ok = true;
 
-  return bandBlock ? bandBlock->value( 0 ) : QVariant();
+  return bandBlock ? bandBlock->value( 0 ) : std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
 }
 
 QString QgsRasterDataProvider::lastErrorFormat()
diff --git a/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.h b/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.h
index a41c23520a8e..630b8a081297 100644
--- a/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.h
+++ b/src/core/raster/qgsrasterdataprovider.h
@@ -364,16 +364,18 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsRasterDataProvider : public QgsDataProvider, public QgsRast
      * parameters \a boundingBox, \a width and \a height are important to identify
      * on the same zoom level as a displayed map and to do effective
      * caching (WCS). If context params are not specified the highest
-     * resolution is used. capabilities() may be used to test if format
-     * is supported by provider.
+     * resolution is used.
      *
-     * A null QVariant will be returned if the point is outside data source extent, or an invalid
-     * band number was specified.
+     * If \a ok is specified and the point is outside data source extent, or an invalid
+     * band number was specified, then \a ok will be set to false. In this case the function will return
+     * a NaN value.
      *
      * \see identify(), which is much more flexible but considerably less efficient.
      * \since QGIS 3.4
      */
-    virtual QVariant sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, const QgsRectangle &boundingBox = QgsRectangle(), int width = 0, int height = 0, int dpi = 96 );
+    virtual double sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band,
+                           bool *ok SIP_OUT = nullptr,
+                           const QgsRectangle &boundingBox = QgsRectangle(), int width = 0, int height = 0, int dpi = 96 );
 
     /**
      * \brief Returns the caption error text for the last error in this provider
diff --git a/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.cpp b/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.cpp
index c3323427cf15..49b84096e9f4 100644
--- a/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.cpp
@@ -1101,32 +1101,38 @@ bool QgsGdalProvider::worldToPixel( double x, double y, int &col, int &row ) con
   return true;
 };
 
-QVariant QgsGdalProvider::sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, const QgsRectangle &, int, int, int )
+double QgsGdalProvider::sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, bool *ok, const QgsRectangle &, int, int, int )
 {
+  if ( ok )
+    *ok = false;
+
   QMutexLocker locker( mpMutex );
   if ( !initIfNeeded() )
-    return tr( "Cannot read data" );
+    return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
 
   if ( !extent().contains( point ) )
   {
     // Outside the raster
-    return QVariant();
+    return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
   }
 
   GDALRasterBandH hBand = GDALGetRasterBand( mGdalDataset, band );
   if ( !hBand )
-    return QVariant();
+    return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
 
   int row;
   int col;
   if ( !worldToPixel( point.x(), point.y(), col, row ) )
-    return QVariant();
+    return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
 
   float value = 0;
   CPLErr err = GDALRasterIO( hBand, GF_Read, col, row, 1, 1,
                              &value, 1, 1, GDT_Float32, 0, 0 );
   if ( err != CE_None )
-    return QVariant();
+    return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
+
+  if ( ok )
+    *ok = true;
 
   return static_cast< double >( value ) * bandScale( band ) + bandOffset( band );
 }
diff --git a/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.h b/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.h
index 6b24acd69487..609c2a4810cb 100644
--- a/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.h
+++ b/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class QgsGdalProvider : public QgsRasterDataProvider, QgsGdalProviderBase
     QgsRectangle extent() const override;
     bool isValid() const override;
     QgsRasterIdentifyResult identify( const QgsPointXY &point, QgsRaster::IdentifyFormat format, const QgsRectangle &boundingBox = QgsRectangle(), int width = 0, int height = 0, int dpi = 96 ) override;
-    QVariant sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, const QgsRectangle &boundingBox = QgsRectangle(), int width = 0, int height = 0, int dpi = 96 );
+    double sample( const QgsPointXY &point, int band, bool *ok = nullptr, const QgsRectangle &boundingBox = QgsRectangle(), int width = 0, int height = 0, int dpi = 96 );
     QString lastErrorTitle() override;
     QString lastError() override;
     int capabilities() const override;
diff --git a/tests/src/core/testqgsrasterlayer.cpp b/tests/src/core/testqgsrasterlayer.cpp
index d3317dd98869..f9b0c6ee215c 100644
--- a/tests/src/core/testqgsrasterlayer.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/core/testqgsrasterlayer.cpp
@@ -729,21 +729,32 @@ void TestQgsRasterLayer::sample()
   std::unique_ptr< QgsRasterLayer > rl = qgis::make_unique< QgsRasterLayer> ( rasterFileInfo.filePath(),
                                          rasterFileInfo.completeBaseName() );
   QVERIFY( rl->isValid() );
-  QVERIFY( !rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 0, 0 ), 1 ).isValid() );
-  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 1 ).toInt(), 125 );
+  QVERIFY( std::isnan( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 0, 0 ), 1 ) ) );
+  bool ok = false;
+  QVERIFY( std::isnan( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 0, 0 ), 1, &ok ) ) );
+  QVERIFY( !ok );
+  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 1 ), 125.0 );
+  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 1, &ok ), 125.0 );
+  QVERIFY( ok );
   // bad bands
-  QVERIFY( !rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 0 ).isValid() );
-  QVERIFY( !rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 10 ).isValid() );
+  QVERIFY( std::isnan( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 0 ) ) );
+  QVERIFY( std::isnan( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 0, &ok ) ) );
+  QVERIFY( !ok );
+  QVERIFY( std::isnan( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 788461, 3344957 ), 10, &ok ) ) );
+  QVERIFY( !ok );
 
   fileName = mTestDataDir + "landsat_4326.tif";
   rasterFileInfo = QFileInfo( fileName );
   rl = qgis::make_unique< QgsRasterLayer> ( rasterFileInfo.filePath(),
        rasterFileInfo.completeBaseName() );
   QVERIFY( rl->isValid() );
-  QVERIFY( !rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 0, 0 ), 1 ).isValid() );
-  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 17.943731, 30.230791 ), 1 ).toInt(), 125 );
-  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 17.943731, 30.230791 ), 2 ).toInt(), 139 );
-  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 17.943731, 30.230791 ), 3 ).toInt(), 111 );
+  QVERIFY( std::isnan( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 0, 0 ), 1 ) ) );
+  QVERIFY( std::isnan( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 0, 0 ), 1, &ok ) ) );
+  QVERIFY( !ok );
+  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 17.943731, 30.230791 ), 1, &ok ), 125.0 );
+  QVERIFY( ok );
+  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 17.943731, 30.230791 ), 2 ), 139.0 );
+  QCOMPARE( rl->dataProvider()->sample( QgsPointXY( 17.943731, 30.230791 ), 3 ), 111.0 );
 }
 
 QGSTEST_MAIN( TestQgsRasterLayer )