diff --git a/src/blackmisc/sequence.h b/src/blackmisc/sequence.h
index 9a98e7d98..a6524194e 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/sequence.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/sequence.h
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ namespace BlackMisc
          */
         const_reference front() const { Q_ASSERT(!empty()); return pimpl()->front(); }
 
+        /*!
+         * \brief Access the first element, or a default-initialized value if the sequence is empty.
+         */
+        const_reference frontOrDefault() const { static const value_type def; return empty() ? def : front(); }
+
         /*!
          * \brief Access the last element.
          * \pre The sequence must not be empty.
@@ -160,6 +165,11 @@ namespace BlackMisc
          */
         const_reference back() const { Q_ASSERT(!empty()); return pimpl()->back(); }
 
+        /*!
+        * \brief Access the last element, or a default-initialized value if the sequence is empty.
+        */
+        const_reference backOrDefault() const { static const value_type def; return empty() ? def : back(); }
+
         /*!
          * \brief Returns number of elements in the sequence.
          */