diff --git a/include/boost/python/exec.hpp b/include/boost/python/exec.hpp
index 903b29d4..359830a4 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/exec.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/exec.hpp
@@ -13,18 +13,25 @@ namespace boost
 namespace python 
 {
 
+// Evaluate python expression from str.
+// global and local are the global and local scopes respectively,
+// used during evaluation.
+object 
+BOOST_PYTHON_DECL
+eval(str string, object global = object(), object local = object());
+
 // Execute python source code from str.
 // global and local are the global and local scopes respectively,
 // used during execution.
 object 
-BOOST_PYTHON_DECL 
+BOOST_PYTHON_DECL
 exec(str string, object global = object(), object local = object());
 
 // Execute python source code from file filename.
 // global and local are the global and local scopes respectively,
 // used during execution.
 object 
-BOOST_PYTHON_DECL 
+BOOST_PYTHON_DECL
 exec_file(str filename, object global = object(), object local = object());
 
 }
diff --git a/src/exec.cpp b/src/exec.cpp
index 5f2b8bc6..050cc63e 100644
--- a/src/exec.cpp
+++ b/src/exec.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ namespace boost
 namespace python 
 {
 
+object BOOST_PYTHON_DECL eval(str string, object global, object local)
+{
+  // should be 'char const *' but older python versions don't use 'const' yet.
+  char *s = python::extract<char *>(string);
+  PyObject* result = PyRun_String(s, Py_eval_input, global.ptr(), local.ptr());
+  if (!result) throw_error_already_set();
+  return object(detail::new_reference(result));
+}
+
 object BOOST_PYTHON_DECL exec(str string, object global, object local)
 {
   // should be 'char const *' but older python versions don't use 'const' yet.
diff --git a/test/exec.cpp b/test/exec.cpp
index 1843d183..bad33c6f 100644
--- a/test/exec.cpp
+++ b/test/exec.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(embedded_hello)
 }
 
 
+void eval_test()
+{
+  python::object result = python::eval("'abcdefg'.upper()");
+  std::string value = python::extract<std::string>(result) BOOST_EXTRACT_WORKAROUND;
+  BOOST_TEST(value == "ABCDEFG");
+}
+
 void exec_test()
 {
   // Register the module with the interpreter
@@ -108,7 +115,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   // Initialize the interpreter
   Py_Initialize();
 
-  if (python::handle_exception(exec_test) ||
+  if (python::handle_exception(eval_test) ||
+      python::handle_exception(exec_test) ||
       python::handle_exception(boost::bind(exec_file_test, script)))
   {
     if (PyErr_Occurred())