diff --git a/mesonbuild/build.py b/mesonbuild/build.py
index 7d3a5c4d2..037b1956f 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/build.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/build.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright 2012-2014 The Meson development team
+# Copyright 2012-2017 The Meson development team
 
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -1487,8 +1487,11 @@ class ConfigurationData():
     def __repr__(self):
         return repr(self.values)
 
+    def __contains__(self, value):
+        return value in self.values
+
     def get(self, name):
-        return self.values[name]                 # (val, desc)
+        return self.values[name] # (val, desc)
 
     def keys(self):
         return self.values.keys()
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
index ec82ec95d..67ee6583e 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright 2012-2016 The Meson development team
+# Copyright 2012-2017 The Meson development team
 
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ class ConfigurationDataHolder(MutableInterpreterObject):
                              'set10': self.set10_method,
                              'set_quoted': self.set_quoted_method,
                              'has': self.has_method,
+                             'get': self.get_method,
                              })
 
     def is_used(self):
@@ -207,6 +208,16 @@ class ConfigurationDataHolder(MutableInterpreterObject):
     def has_method(self, args, kwargs):
         return args[0] in self.held_object.values
 
+    def get_method(self, args, kwargs):
+        if len(args) < 1 or len(args) > 2:
+            raise InterpreterException('Get method takes one or two arguments.')
+        name = args[0]
+        if name in self.held_object:
+            return self.held_object.get(name)[0]
+        if len(args) > 1:
+            return args[1]
+        raise InterpreterException('Entry %s not in configuration data.' % name)
+
     def get(self, name):
         return self.held_object.values[name]     # (val, desc)
 
diff --git a/test cases/common/16 configure file/meson.build b/test cases/common/16 configure file/meson.build
index ae3ad27e2..0c5b98158 100644
--- a/test cases/common/16 configure file/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/16 configure file/meson.build	
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ conf.set('other', 'string 2')
 conf.set('second', ' bonus')
 conf.set('BE_TRUE', true)
 
+assert(conf.get('var') == 'mystring', 'Get function is not working.')
+assert(conf.get('var', 'default') == 'mystring', 'Get function is not working.')
+assert(conf.get('notthere', 'default') == 'default', 'Default value getting is not working.')
+
 cfile = configure_file(input : 'config.h.in',
 output : 'config.h',
 configuration : conf)