diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index d08269f..359956b 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -10578,6 +10578,10 @@
 	    n = argvars[0].vval.v_dict == NULL
 			|| argvars[0].vval.v_dict->dv_hashtab.ht_used == 0;
 	    break;
+	case VAR_SPECIAL:
+	    n = argvars[0].vval.v_number != VVAL_TRUE;
+	    break;
+
 	default:
 	    EMSG2(_(e_intern2), "f_empty()");
 	    n = 0;
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_viml.vim b/src/testdir/test_viml.vim
index f32331a..6b2b6b9 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_viml.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_viml.vim
@@ -987,6 +987,11 @@
     call assert_equal(v:true, eval(string(v:true)))
     call assert_equal(v:none, eval(string(v:none)))
     call assert_equal(v:null, eval(string(v:null)))
+
+    call assert_true(empty(v:false))
+    call assert_false(empty(v:true))
+    call assert_true(empty(v:null))
+    call assert_true(empty(v:none))
 endfunc
 
 "-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 298372e..0a0bc1d 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -747,6 +747,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1178,
+/**/
     1177,
 /**/
     1176,