diff --git a/python/__init__.py b/python/__init__.py
index 1fe8e96ce092..cc8179b01f07 100755
--- a/python/__init__.py
+++ b/python/__init__.py
@@ -46,7 +46,17 @@ def __nonzero__(self):
     def __repr__(self):
         return 'NULL'
 
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return isinstance(other, QPyNullVariant) or other is None
+
     QPyNullVariant.__nonzero__ = MethodType(__nonzero__, None, QPyNullVariant)
     QPyNullVariant.__repr__ = MethodType(__repr__, None, QPyNullVariant)
+    QPyNullVariant.__eq__= MethodType(__eq__, None, QPyNullVariant)
+
+    # define a dummy QPyNullVariant instance NULL in qgis.core
+    # this is mainly used to compare against
+    # so one can write if feat['attr'] == NULL:
+    from qgis import core
+    core.NULL = QPyNullVariant( int )
 except ImportError:
     pass