5 files changed, 28 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index 27dd0a7..d023f23 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ Converts the case of a string or of all strings in an array to lowercase. *Type*
 
 #### `empty`
 
-Returns true if the argument is an array or hash that contains no elements, or an empty string. *Type*: rvalue.
+Returns true if the argument is an array or hash that contains no elements, or an empty string. Returns false when the argument is a numerical value. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `ensure_packages`
 
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ Returns an array an intersection of two. For example, `intersection(["a","b","c"
 
 #### `is_a`
 
-Boolean check to determine whether a variable is of a given data type. This is equivalent to the `=~` type checks.
+Boolean check to determine whether a variable is of a given data type. This is equivalent to the `=~` type checks. This function is only available in Puppet 4, or when using the "future" parser. 
 
   ~~~
   foo = 3
diff --git a/lib/facter/service_provider.rb b/lib/facter/service_provider.rb
index 54db937..a117921 100644
--- a/lib/facter/service_provider.rb
+++ b/lib/facter/service_provider.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 #
 # Caveats:
 #
+require 'puppet/type'
+require 'puppet/type/service'
+
 Facter.add(:service_provider) do
   setcode do
     Puppet::Type.type(:service).newservice(:name => 'dummy')[:provider].to_s
diff --git a/lib/puppet/parser/functions/empty.rb b/lib/puppet/parser/functions/empty.rb
index cca620f..b5a3cde 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/parser/functions/empty.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/parser/functions/empty.rb
@@ -13,14 +13,18 @@ Returns true if the variable is empty.
 
     value = arguments[0]
 
-    unless value.is_a?(Array) || value.is_a?(Hash) || value.is_a?(String)
+    unless value.is_a?(Array) || value.is_a?(Hash) || value.is_a?(String) || value.is_a?(Numeric)
       raise(Puppet::ParseError, 'empty(): Requires either ' +
-        'array, hash or string to work with')
+        'array, hash, string or integer to work with')
     end
 
-    result = value.empty?
+    if value.is_a?(Numeric)
+      return false
+    else
+      result = value.empty?
 
-    return result
+      return result
+    end
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/empty_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/empty_spec.rb
index 8b46aac..2d4df90 100755
--- a/spec/acceptance/empty_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/empty_spec.rb
@@ -31,6 +31,20 @@ describe 'empty function', :unless => UNSUPPORTED_PLATFORMS.include?(fact('opera
         expect(r.stdout).to match(/Notice: output correct/)
       end
     end
+    it 'handles numerical values' do
+      pp = <<-EOS
+      $a = 7
+      $b = false
+      $o = empty($a)
+      if $o == $b {
+        notify { 'output correct': }
+      }
+      EOS
+
+      apply_manifest(pp, :catch_failures => true) do |r|
+        expect(r.stdout).to match(/Notice: output correct/)
+      end
+    end
   end
   describe 'failure' do
     it 'handles improper argument counts'
diff --git a/spec/functions/empty_spec.rb b/spec/functions/empty_spec.rb
index 94b1c68..a3a25d6 100755
--- a/spec/functions/empty_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/functions/empty_spec.rb
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe 'empty' do
   it { is_expected.not_to eq(nil) }
   it { is_expected.to run.with_params().and_raise_error(Puppet::ParseError) }
-  it { is_expected.to run.with_params(0).and_raise_error(Puppet::ParseError) }
   it {
     pending("Current implementation ignores parameters after the first.")
     is_expected.to run.with_params('one', 'two').and_raise_error(Puppet::ParseError)
   }
+  it { is_expected.to run.with_params(0).and_return(false) }
   it { is_expected.to run.with_params('').and_return(true) }
   it { is_expected.to run.with_params('one').and_return(false) }