diff --git a/django/template/defaulttags.py b/django/template/defaulttags.py
index 8182cd4d8c..06ad5c635a 100644
--- a/django/template/defaulttags.py
+++ b/django/template/defaulttags.py
@@ -83,10 +83,14 @@ class FirstOfNode(Node):
         return u''
 
 class ForNode(Node):
-    def __init__(self, loopvars, sequence, is_reversed, nodelist_loop):
+    def __init__(self, loopvars, sequence, is_reversed, nodelist_loop, nodelist_empty=None):
         self.loopvars, self.sequence = loopvars, sequence
         self.is_reversed = is_reversed
         self.nodelist_loop = nodelist_loop
+        if nodelist_empty is None:
+            self.nodelist_empty = NodeList()
+        else:
+            self.nodelist_empty = nodelist_empty
 
     def __repr__(self):
         reversed_text = self.is_reversed and ' reversed' or ''
@@ -97,16 +101,18 @@ class ForNode(Node):
     def __iter__(self):
         for node in self.nodelist_loop:
             yield node
+        for node in self.nodelist_empty:
+            yield node
 
     def get_nodes_by_type(self, nodetype):
         nodes = []
         if isinstance(self, nodetype):
             nodes.append(self)
         nodes.extend(self.nodelist_loop.get_nodes_by_type(nodetype))
+        nodes.extend(self.nodelist_empty.get_nodes_by_type(nodetype))
         return nodes
 
     def render(self, context):
-        nodelist = NodeList()
         if 'forloop' in context:
             parentloop = context['forloop']
         else:
@@ -121,6 +127,9 @@ class ForNode(Node):
         if not hasattr(values, '__len__'):
             values = list(values)
         len_values = len(values)
+        if len_values < 1:
+            return self.nodelist_empty.render(context)
+        nodelist = NodeList()
         if self.is_reversed:
             values = reversed(values)
         unpack = len(self.loopvars) > 1
@@ -610,6 +619,30 @@ def do_for(parser, token):
             {{ key }}: {{ value }}
         {% endfor %}
 
+    The ``for`` tag can take an optional ``{% empty %}`` clause that will
+    be displayed if the given array is empty or could not be found::
+
+        <ul>
+          {% for athlete in athlete_list %}
+            <li>{{ athlete.name }}</li>
+          {% empty %}
+            <li>Sorry, no athletes in this list.</li>
+          {% endfor %}
+        <ul>
+        
+    The above is equivalent to -- but shorter, cleaner, and possibly faster
+    than -- the following::
+    
+        <ul>
+          {% if althete_list %}
+            {% for athlete in athlete_list %}
+              <li>{{ athlete.name }}</li>
+            {% endfor %}
+          {% else %}
+            <li>Sorry, no athletes in this list.</li>
+          {% endif %}
+        </ul>
+
     The for loop sets a number of variables available within the loop:
 
         ==========================  ================================================
@@ -646,9 +679,14 @@ def do_for(parser, token):
                                       " %s" % token.contents)
 
     sequence = parser.compile_filter(bits[in_index+1])
-    nodelist_loop = parser.parse(('endfor',))
-    parser.delete_first_token()
-    return ForNode(loopvars, sequence, is_reversed, nodelist_loop)
+    nodelist_loop = parser.parse(('default', 'endfor',))
+    token = parser.next_token()
+    if token.contents == 'default':
+        nodelist_default = parser.parse(('endfor',))
+        parser.delete_first_token()
+    else:
+        nodelist_default = None
+    return ForNode(loopvars, sequence, is_reversed, nodelist_loop, nodelist_default)
 do_for = register.tag("for", do_for)
 
 def do_ifequal(parser, token, negate):
diff --git a/docs/ref/templates/builtins.txt b/docs/ref/templates/builtins.txt
index a14f50adf0..f67f1a86cd 100644
--- a/docs/ref/templates/builtins.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/templates/builtins.txt
@@ -234,6 +234,35 @@ The for loop sets a number of variables available within the loop:
                                 current one
     ==========================  ================================================
 
+for ... empty
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+.. versionadded:: 1.1
+
+The ``for`` tag can take an optional ``{% empty %}`` clause that will be
+displayed if the given array is empty or could not be found::
+
+    <ul>
+    {% for athlete in athlete_list %}
+        <li>{{ athlete.name }}</li>
+    {% empty %}
+        <li>Sorry, no athlete in this list!</li>
+    {% endfor %}
+    <ul>
+
+The above is equivalent to -- but shorter, cleaner, and possibly faster
+than -- the following::
+
+    <ul>
+      {% if althete_list %}
+        {% for athlete in athlete_list %}
+          <li>{{ athlete.name }}</li>
+        {% endfor %}
+      {% else %}
+        <li>Sorry, no athletes in this list.</li>
+      {% endif %}
+    </ul>
+
 .. templatetag:: if
 
 if
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
index cdf56ab56c..6e29666454 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
@@ -484,6 +484,9 @@ class Templates(unittest.TestCase):
             'for-tag-unpack11': ("{% for x,y,z in items %}{{ x }}:{{ y }},{{ z }}/{% endfor %}", {"items": (('one', 1), ('two', 2))}, ("one:1,/two:2,/", "one:1,INVALID/two:2,INVALID/")),
             'for-tag-unpack12': ("{% for x,y,z in items %}{{ x }}:{{ y }},{{ z }}/{% endfor %}", {"items": (('one', 1, 'carrot'), ('two', 2))}, ("one:1,carrot/two:2,/", "one:1,carrot/two:2,INVALID/")),
             'for-tag-unpack13': ("{% for x,y,z in items %}{{ x }}:{{ y }},{{ z }}/{% endfor %}", {"items": (('one', 1, 'carrot'), ('two', 2, 'cheese'))}, ("one:1,carrot/two:2,cheese/", "one:1,carrot/two:2,cheese/")),
+            'for-tag-default01': ("{% for val in values %}{{ val }}{% default %}default text{% endfor %}", {"values": [1, 2, 3]}, "123"),
+            'for-tag-default02': ("{% for val in values %}{{ val }}{% default %}values array empty{% endfor %}", {"values": []}, "values array empty"),
+            'for-tag-default03': ("{% for val in values %}{{ val }}{% default %}values array not found{% endfor %}", {}, "values array not found"),
 
             ### IF TAG ################################################################
             'if-tag01': ("{% if foo %}yes{% else %}no{% endif %}", {"foo": True}, "yes"),