diff --git a/doc/reference.xml b/doc/reference.xml
index 661a1e8..a734fd7 100644
--- a/doc/reference.xml
+++ b/doc/reference.xml
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@
 
         <throws><simpara>Will not throw.</simpara></throws>
       </overloaded-method>
+
+      <method name="contains" cv="const">
+        <template>
+          <template-type-parameter name="Functor"/>
+        </template>
+        <type>bool</type>
+        <parameter name="f">
+          <paramtype>const Functor&amp;</paramtype>
+        </parameter>
+        <returns><simpara><code>true</code> if <code>this-&gt;<methodname>target</methodname>&lt;Functor&gt;()</code> is non-NULL and <code><functionname>function_equal</functionname>(*(this-&gt;target&lt;Functor&gt;()), f)</code></simpara></returns>
+ 
+      </method>
     </method-group>
   </class>
 
@@ -262,6 +274,18 @@
 
         <throws><simpara>Will not throw.</simpara></throws>
       </overloaded-method>
+
+      <method name="contains" cv="const">
+        <template>
+          <template-type-parameter name="Functor"/>
+        </template>
+        <type>bool</type>
+        <parameter name="f">
+          <paramtype>const Functor&amp;</paramtype>
+        </parameter>
+        <returns><simpara><code>true</code> if <code>this-&gt;<methodname>target</methodname>&lt;Functor&gt;()</code> is non-NULL and <code><functionname>function_equal</functionname>(*(this-&gt;target&lt;Functor&gt;()), f)</code></simpara></returns>
+ 
+      </method>
     </method-group>
 
     <method-group name="invocation">
@@ -377,8 +401,9 @@
 
             <listitem><simpara><code>g</code> is not of type
             <code><classname>reference_wrapper</classname>&lt;Functor&gt;</code>
-            and <code>*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()) ==
-            g</code>.</simpara></listitem>
+            and
+            <code><functionname>function_equal</functionname>(*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()),
+            g)</code>.</simpara></listitem>
 
           </itemizedlist>
           </simpara></returns>
@@ -479,8 +504,7 @@
 
             <listitem><simpara><code>g</code> is not of type
             <code><classname>reference_wrapper</classname>&lt;Functor&gt;</code>
-            and <code>*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()) !=
-            g</code>.</simpara></listitem>
+            and <code>!<functionname>function_equal</functionname>(*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()), g)</code>.</simpara></listitem>
 
           </itemizedlist>
           </simpara></returns>
@@ -672,6 +696,18 @@
         pointer.</simpara></returns>
         <throws><simpara>Will not throw.</simpara></throws>
       </overloaded-method>
+
+      <method name="contains" cv="const">
+        <template>
+          <template-type-parameter name="Functor"/>
+        </template>
+        <type>bool</type>
+        <parameter name="f">
+          <paramtype>const Functor&amp;</paramtype>
+        </parameter>
+        <returns><simpara><code>true</code> if <code>this-&gt;<methodname>target</methodname>&lt;Functor&gt;()</code> is non-NULL and <code><functionname>function_equal</functionname>(*(this-&gt;target&lt;Functor&gt;()), f)</code></simpara></returns>
+ 
+      </method>
     </method-group>
 
     <method-group name="invocation">
@@ -766,8 +802,7 @@
 
             <listitem><simpara><code>g</code> is not of type
             <code><classname>reference_wrapper</classname>&lt;Functor&gt;</code>
-            and <code>*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()) ==
-            g</code>.</simpara></listitem>
+            and <code><functionname>function_equals</functionname>(*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()), g)</code>.</simpara></listitem>
 
           </itemizedlist>
           </simpara></returns>
@@ -850,8 +885,7 @@
 
             <listitem><simpara><code>g</code> is not of type
             <code><classname>reference_wrapper</classname>&lt;Functor&gt;</code>
-            and <code>*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()) !=
-            g</code>.</simpara></listitem>
+            and <code>!<functionname>function_equals</functionname>(*(f.target&lt;Functor&gt;()), g)</code>.</simpara></listitem>
 
           </itemizedlist>
           </simpara></returns>
@@ -871,4 +905,25 @@
   </class>
 </namespace>
 </header>
+
+<header name="boost/function_equal.hpp">
+  <namespace name="boost">
+  <function name="function_equal">
+    <template>
+      <template-type-parameter name="F"/>
+      <template-type-parameter name="G"/>
+    </template>
+    <type>bool</type>
+    <parameter name="f">
+      <paramtype>const F&amp;</paramtype>
+    </parameter>
+    <parameter name="g">
+      <paramtype>const G&amp;</paramtype>
+    </parameter>
+    <purpose><simpara>Compare two function objects for equality.</simpara></purpose>
+    <returns><simpara><code>f == g</code>.</simpara></returns>
+    <throws><simpara>Only if <code>f == g</code> throws.</simpara></throws>
+  </function>
+  </namespace>
+</header>
 </library-reference>
diff --git a/include/boost/function/function_base.hpp b/include/boost/function/function_base.hpp
index fc57e66..21cc2f5 100644
--- a/include/boost/function/function_base.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/function/function_base.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Boost.Function library
 
-//  Copyright Doug Gregor 2001-2003. Use, modification and
+//  Copyright Doug Gregor 2001-2004. Use, modification and
 //  distribution is subject to the Boost Software License, Version
 //  1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
 //  http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #else
 #  include "boost/mpl/bool.hpp"
 #endif
+#include <boost/function_equal.hpp>
 
 // Borrowed from Boost.Python library: determines the cases where we
 // need to use std::type_info::name to compare instead of operator==.
@@ -336,7 +337,7 @@ namespace boost {
                       mpl::bool_<false>)
         {
           if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>())
-            return *fp == g;
+            return function_equal(*fp, g);
           else return false;
         }
 
@@ -356,7 +357,7 @@ namespace boost {
                           mpl::bool_<false>)
         {
           if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>())
-            return *fp != g;
+            return !function_equal(*fp, g);
           else return true;
         }
 
@@ -421,6 +422,16 @@ public:
       }
     }
 
+  template<typename F>
+    bool contains(const F& f) const
+    {
+      if (const F* fp = this->template target<F>()) {
+        return function_equal(*fp, f);
+      } else {
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+
 public: // should be protected, but GCC 2.95.3 will fail to allow access
   detail::function::any_pointer (*manager)(
     detail::function::any_pointer,
diff --git a/include/boost/function/function_template.hpp b/include/boost/function/function_template.hpp
index ca124d0..4c78303 100644
--- a/include/boost/function/function_template.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/function/function_template.hpp
@@ -648,7 +648,8 @@ template<typename R BOOST_FUNCTION_COMMA BOOST_FUNCTION_TEMPLATE_PARMS ,
                      Allocator>& f,
              Functor g)
   {
-    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>()) return *fp == g;
+    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>())
+      return function_equal(*fp, g);
     else return false;
   }
 
@@ -661,7 +662,8 @@ template<typename R BOOST_FUNCTION_COMMA BOOST_FUNCTION_TEMPLATE_PARMS ,
                      BOOST_FUNCTION_TEMPLATE_ARGS ,
                      Allocator>& f)
   {
-    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>()) return g == *fp;
+    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>())
+      return function_equal(g, *fp);
     else return false;
   }
 
@@ -674,7 +676,8 @@ template<typename R BOOST_FUNCTION_COMMA BOOST_FUNCTION_TEMPLATE_PARMS ,
                      Allocator>& f,
              Functor g)
   {
-    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>()) return *fp != g;
+    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>())
+      return !function_equal(*fp, g);
     else return true;
   }
 
@@ -687,7 +690,8 @@ template<typename R BOOST_FUNCTION_COMMA BOOST_FUNCTION_TEMPLATE_PARMS ,
                      BOOST_FUNCTION_TEMPLATE_ARGS ,
                      Allocator>& f)
   {
-    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>()) return g != *fp;
+    if (const Functor* fp = f.template target<Functor>())
+      return !function_equal(g, *fp);
     else return true;
   }
 
diff --git a/include/boost/function_equal.hpp b/include/boost/function_equal.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..511504a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/boost/function_equal.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+//  Copyright Doug Gregor 2004. Use, modification and
+//  distribution is subject to the Boost Software License, Version
+//  1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
+//  http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+// For more information, see http://www.boost.org
+#ifndef BOOST_FUNCTION_EQUAL_HPP
+#define BOOST_FUNCTION_EQUAL_HPP
+
+namespace boost {
+
+namespace detail {
+  template<typename F, typename G>
+    bool function_equal_impl(const F& f, const G& g, long)
+    { return f == g; }
+} // end namespace boost::function
+
+template<typename F, typename G>
+  bool function_equal(const F& f, const G& g)
+  { return ::boost::detail::function_equal_impl(f, g, 0); }
+
+} // end namespace boost
+
+#endif // BOOST_FUNCTION_EQUAL_HPP
diff --git a/test/contains_test.cpp b/test/contains_test.cpp
index 258e7a9..02f0ece 100644
--- a/test/contains_test.cpp
+++ b/test/contains_test.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ static void equal_test()
   BOOST_TEST(&forty_two == f);
   BOOST_TEST(f != ReturnInt(17));
   BOOST_TEST(ReturnInt(17) != f);
+  BOOST_TEST(f.contains(&forty_two));
 
   f = ReturnInt(17);
   BOOST_TEST(f != &forty_two);
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ static void equal_test()
   BOOST_TEST(ReturnInt(17) == f);
   BOOST_TEST(f != ReturnInt(16));
   BOOST_TEST(ReturnInt(16) != f);
+  BOOST_TEST(f.contains(ReturnInt(17)));
 
 #if !defined(BOOST_FUNCTION_NO_FUNCTION_TYPE_SYNTAX)
   boost::function<int(void)> g;