diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_feature.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_feature.cpp
index de7595ff1..57cdec88c 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_feature.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_feature.cpp
@@ -94,9 +94,11 @@ namespace boost { namespace python {
 
         template <class Class>
         static void
-        extension_def(Class& /*cl*/)
+        extension_def(Class& cl)
         {
-
+            cl
+                .def("get", &get)
+            ;
         }
 
         static data_type&
@@ -105,13 +107,25 @@ namespace boost { namespace python {
             typename Container::iterator i = container.props().find(i_);
             if (i == container.end())
             {
-                PyErr_SetString(PyExc_KeyError, "Invalid key");
+                PyErr_SetString(PyExc_KeyError, i_.c_str());
                 throw_error_already_set();
             }
             // will be auto-converted to proper python type by `mapnik_value_to_python`
             return i->second;
         }
 
+        static data_type
+        get(Container& container, index_type i_)
+        {
+            typename Container::iterator i = container.props().find(i_);
+            if (i != container.end())
+            {
+                // will be auto-converted to proper python type by `mapnik_value_to_python`
+                return i->second;
+            }
+            return mapnik::value_null();
+        }
+
         static void
         set_item(Container& container, index_type i, data_type const& v)
         {