diff --git a/include/boost/smart_ptr/owner_less.hpp b/include/boost/smart_ptr/owner_less.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6899325
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/boost/smart_ptr/owner_less.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#ifndef BOOST_SMART_PTR_OWNER_LESS_HPP_INCLUDED
+#define BOOST_SMART_PTR_OWNER_LESS_HPP_INCLUDED
+
+//
+//  owner_less.hpp
+//
+//  Copyright (c) 2008 Frank Mori Hess
+//
+//  Distributed under 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)
+//
+//  See http://www.boost.org/libs/smart_ptr/smart_ptr.htm for documentation.
+//
+
+#include <functional>
+
+namespace boost
+{
+  template<typename T> class shared_ptr;
+  template<typename T> class weak_ptr;
+
+  namespace detail
+  {
+    template<typename T, typename U>
+      struct generic_owner_less : public std::binary_function<T, T, bool>
+    {
+      bool operator()(const T &lhs, const T &rhs) const
+      {
+        return lhs.owner_before(rhs);
+      }
+      bool operator()(const T &lhs, const U &rhs) const
+      {
+        return lhs.owner_before(rhs);
+      }
+      bool operator()(const U &lhs, const T &rhs) const
+      {
+        return lhs.owner_before(rhs);
+      }
+    };
+  } // namespace detail
+
+  template<typename T> struct owner_less;
+
+  template<typename T>
+    struct owner_less<shared_ptr<T> >:
+    public detail::generic_owner_less<shared_ptr<T>, weak_ptr<T> >
+  {};
+
+  template<typename T>
+    struct owner_less<weak_ptr<T> >:
+    public detail::generic_owner_less<weak_ptr<T>, shared_ptr<T> >
+  {};
+
+} // namespace boost
+
+#endif  // #ifndef BOOST_SMART_PTR_OWNER_LESS_HPP_INCLUDED
diff --git a/include/boost/smart_ptr/shared_ptr.hpp b/include/boost/smart_ptr/shared_ptr.hpp
index 9ead1ba..1bfb75c 100644
--- a/include/boost/smart_ptr/shared_ptr.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/smart_ptr/shared_ptr.hpp
@@ -449,7 +449,12 @@ public:
         pn.swap(other.pn);
     }
 
-    template<class Y> bool _internal_less(shared_ptr<Y> const & rhs) const
+    template<class Y> bool owner_before( shared_ptr<Y> const & rhs ) const
+    {
+        return pn < rhs.pn;
+    }
+
+    template<class Y> bool owner_before( weak_ptr<Y> const & rhs ) const
     {
         return pn < rhs.pn;
     }
@@ -505,7 +510,7 @@ template<class T> inline bool operator!=(shared_ptr<T> const & a, shared_ptr<T>
 
 template<class T, class U> inline bool operator<(shared_ptr<T> const & a, shared_ptr<U> const & b)
 {
-    return a._internal_less(b);
+    return a.owner_before( b );
 }
 
 template<class T> inline void swap(shared_ptr<T> & a, shared_ptr<T> & b)
diff --git a/include/boost/smart_ptr/weak_ptr.hpp b/include/boost/smart_ptr/weak_ptr.hpp
index 34b0d1e..3dfae07 100644
--- a/include/boost/smart_ptr/weak_ptr.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/smart_ptr/weak_ptr.hpp
@@ -205,7 +205,12 @@ public:
         pn = pn2;
     }
 
-    template<class Y> bool _internal_less(weak_ptr<Y> const & rhs) const
+    template<class Y> bool owner_before( weak_ptr<Y> const & rhs ) const
+    {
+        return pn < rhs.pn;
+    }
+
+    template<class Y> bool owner_before( shared_ptr<Y> const & rhs ) const
     {
         return pn < rhs.pn;
     }
@@ -229,7 +234,7 @@ private:
 
 template<class T, class U> inline bool operator<(weak_ptr<T> const & a, weak_ptr<U> const & b)
 {
-    return a._internal_less(b);
+    return a.owner_before( b );
 }
 
 template<class T> void swap(weak_ptr<T> & a, weak_ptr<T> & b)
diff --git a/test/Jamfile.v2 b/test/Jamfile.v2
index a11b431..c5dfba3 100644
--- a/test/Jamfile.v2
+++ b/test/Jamfile.v2
@@ -67,5 +67,6 @@ import testing ;
           [ run sp_hash_test.cpp ]
           [ run get_deleter_array_test.cpp ]
           [ run ip_hash_test.cpp ]
+          [ run owner_less_test.cpp ]
         ;
 }
diff --git a/test/owner_less_test.cpp b/test/owner_less_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..572b72b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/owner_less_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+//
+//  owner_less_test.cpp
+//
+//  A regression test for owner_less
+//
+//  Copyright (c) 2008 Frank Mori Hess
+//
+//  Distributed under 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)
+//
+
+#include <boost/detail/lightweight_test.hpp>
+#include <boost/smart_ptr/owner_less.hpp>
+#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
+#include <boost/weak_ptr.hpp>
+
+int main()
+{
+  boost::owner_less<boost::shared_ptr<int> > comp;
+  {
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> x;
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> y;
+    boost::weak_ptr<int> w;
+    BOOST_TEST(!(comp(x, w) || comp(w, x)));
+  }
+  {
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> z((int*)0);
+    boost::weak_ptr<int> w;
+    BOOST_TEST(comp(z, w) || comp(w, z));
+    {
+      boost::shared_ptr<int> zz(z);
+      w = boost::weak_ptr<int>(zz);
+      BOOST_TEST(!(comp(z, zz) || comp(z, zz)));
+      BOOST_TEST(!(comp(z, w) || comp(z, w)));
+    }
+    BOOST_TEST(!(comp(z, w) || comp(w, z)));
+  }
+  {
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> x;
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> z((int*)0);
+    BOOST_TEST(comp(x, z) || comp(z, x));
+  }
+  {
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> a((int*)0);
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> b((int*)0);
+    BOOST_TEST(comp(a, b) || comp(b, a));
+    boost::weak_ptr<int> w(a);
+    BOOST_TEST(!(comp(a, w) || comp(w, a)));
+    BOOST_TEST(comp(b, w) || comp(w, b));
+  }
+
+  boost::owner_less<boost::weak_ptr<int> > weak_comp;
+  {
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> a((int*)0);
+    boost::weak_ptr<int> wa(a);
+    boost::shared_ptr<int> b((int*)0);
+    boost::weak_ptr<int> wb(b);
+    BOOST_TEST(!(weak_comp(a, wa) || weak_comp(wa, a)));
+    BOOST_TEST(!(weak_comp(b, wb) || weak_comp(wb, b)));
+    BOOST_TEST(weak_comp(wa, wb) || weak_comp(wb, wa));
+    BOOST_TEST(weak_comp(wa, b) || weak_comp(b, wa));
+  }
+
+  return boost::report_errors();
+}