diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/NotPresentFilter.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/NotPresentFilter.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f29b6275
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/NotPresentFilter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2005-2008 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.ldap.filter;
+
+import org.springframework.ldap.filter.AbstractFilter;
+
+/**
+ * A convenience class that combines {@code NOT} behavior with {@code present}
+ * behavior to allow the user to check for the non-existence of a attribute. For
+ * an attribute to be {@code NOT present} it must not have any values set. To
+ * filter on attributes at are {@code present} use the {@link PresentFilter}.
+ * 
+ * <pre>
+ * NotPresentFilter filter = new NotPresentFilter(&quot;foo*&quot;);
+ * System.out.println(filter.encode());
+ * </pre>
+ * 
+ * would result in:
+ * 
+ * <pre>
+ *  (!(foo=*))
+ * </pre>
+ * @author Jordan Hein
+ */
+public class NotPresentFilter extends AbstractFilter {
+
+	private String attribute;
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new instance of a not present filter for a particular
+	 * attribute.
+	 * 
+	 * @param attribute the attribute expected to be not-present (ie, unset, or
+	 * null).
+	 */
+	public NotPresentFilter(String attribute) {
+		this.attribute = attribute;
+	}
+
+	public StringBuffer encode(StringBuffer buff) {
+		buff.append("(!(");
+		buff.append(attribute);
+		buff.append("=*))");
+		return buff;
+	}
+}
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diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/PresentFilter.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/PresentFilter.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..429b63fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/PresentFilter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2005-2008 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.ldap.filter;
+
+/**
+ * Filter that allows the user to check for the existence of a attribute. For an
+ * attribute to be {@code 'present'} it must contain a value. Attributes that do
+ * not contain a value are {@code 'NOT present'}. To filter on attributes that
+ * are {@code 'NOT present'} use the {@link NotPresentFilter} or use this filter
+ * in combination with a {@link NotFilter} .
+ * 
+ * <pre>
+ * PresentFilter filter = new PresentFilter(&quot;foo*&quot;);
+ * System.out.println(filter.encode());
+ * </pre>
+ * 
+ * would result in:
+ * 
+ * <pre>
+ *  (foo=*)
+ * </pre>
+ * @author Jordan Hein
+ */
+public class PresentFilter extends AbstractFilter {
+
+	private String attribute;
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new instance of a present filter for a particular attribute.
+	 * 
+	 * @param attribute the attribute expected to be present (ie, contains a
+	 * value).
+	 */
+	public PresentFilter(String attribute) {
+		this.attribute = attribute;
+	}
+
+	public StringBuffer encode(StringBuffer buff) {
+		buff.append("(");
+		buff.append(attribute);
+		buff.append("=*)");
+		return buff;
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/NotPresentFilterTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/NotPresentFilterTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b2a58093
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/NotPresentFilterTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2005-2008 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.ldap.filter;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+import org.springframework.ldap.filter.AndFilter;
+import org.springframework.ldap.filter.NotFilter;
+
+public class NotPresentFilterTest extends TestCase {
+
+	public void testNotPresentFilter() {
+		NotPresentFilter presentFilter = new NotPresentFilter("foo");
+		assertEquals("(!(foo=*))", presentFilter.encode());
+
+		NotFilter notFilter = new NotFilter(new NotPresentFilter("foo"));
+		assertEquals("(!(!(foo=*)))", notFilter.encode());
+
+		AndFilter andFilter = new AndFilter();
+		andFilter.and(new NotPresentFilter("foo"));
+		andFilter.and(new NotPresentFilter("bar"));
+		assertEquals("(&(!(foo=*))(!(bar=*)))", andFilter.encode());
+
+		andFilter = new AndFilter();
+		andFilter.and(new NotPresentFilter("foo"));
+		andFilter.and(new NotFilter(new NotPresentFilter("bar")));
+		assertEquals("(&(!(foo=*))(!(!(bar=*))))", andFilter.encode());
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/PresentFilterTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/PresentFilterTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f73c449e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/springframework/ldap/filter/PresentFilterTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2005-2008 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.ldap.filter;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+import org.springframework.ldap.filter.AndFilter;
+import org.springframework.ldap.filter.NotFilter;
+
+public class PresentFilterTest extends TestCase {
+
+	public void testPresentFilter() {
+		PresentFilter presentFilter = new PresentFilter("foo");
+		assertEquals("(foo=*)", presentFilter.encode());
+
+		NotFilter notFilter = new NotFilter(new PresentFilter("foo"));
+		assertEquals("(!(foo=*))", notFilter.encode());
+
+		AndFilter andFilter = new AndFilter();
+		andFilter.and(new PresentFilter("foo"));
+		andFilter.and(new PresentFilter("bar"));
+		assertEquals("(&(foo=*)(bar=*))", andFilter.encode());
+
+		andFilter = new AndFilter();
+		andFilter.and(new PresentFilter("foo"));
+		andFilter.and(new NotFilter(new PresentFilter("bar")));
+		assertEquals("(&(foo=*)(!(bar=*)))", andFilter.encode());
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file