diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExpressionList.java b/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExpressionList.java
index a001bcfdb..a7d655fc5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExpressionList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExpressionList.java
@@ -226,6 +226,32 @@ public interface ExpressionList<T> {
    */
   int update(Transaction transaction);
 
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning true if a row is found.
+   * <p>
+   * The query is executed using max rows of 1 and will only select the id property.
+   * This method is really just a convenient way to optimise a query to perform a
+   * 'does a row exist in the db' check.
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * <h2>Example:</h2>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   boolean userExists = query().where().eq("email", "rob@foo.com").exists();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   *
+   * <h2>Example using a query bean:</h2>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   boolean userExists = new QContact().email.equalTo("rob@foo.com").exists();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   *
+   * @return True if the query finds a matching row in the database
+   */
+  boolean exists();
+
   /**
    * Execute the query iterating over the results.
    *
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExtendedServer.java b/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExtendedServer.java
index 0b159f877..deb3582f2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExtendedServer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExtendedServer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 package io.ebean;
 
+import io.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuery;
+import io.ebeaninternal.api.SpiTransaction;
+
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 import javax.persistence.NonUniqueResultException;
@@ -42,6 +45,32 @@ public interface ExtendedServer {
    */
   void setClock(Clock clock);
 
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning true if a row is found.
+   * <p>
+   * The query is executed using max rows of 1 and will only select the id property.
+   * This method is really just a convenient way to optimise a query to perform a
+   * 'does a row exist in the db' check.
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * <h2>Example:</h2>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   boolean userExists = query().where().eq("email", "rob@foo.com").exists();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   *
+   * <h2>Example using a query bean:</h2>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   boolean userExists = new QContact().email.equalTo("rob@foo.com").exists();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   *
+   * @return True if the query finds a matching row in the database
+   */
+  <T> boolean exists(SpiQuery<?> ormQuery, SpiTransaction transaction);
+
   /**
    * Return the number of 'top level' or 'root' entities this query should return.
    *
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebean/Query.java b/src/main/java/io/ebean/Query.java
index 601e3a889..4f0fab7de 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebean/Query.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebean/Query.java
@@ -868,6 +868,32 @@ public interface Query<T> {
    */
   boolean isCountDistinct();
 
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning true if a row is found.
+   * <p>
+   * The query is executed using max rows of 1 and will only select the id property.
+   * This method is really just a convenient way to optimise a query to perform a
+   * 'does a row exist in the db' check.
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * <h2>Example:</h2>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   boolean userExists = query().where().eq("email", "rob@foo.com").exists();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   *
+   * <h2>Example using a query bean:</h2>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   boolean userExists = new QContact().email.equalTo("rob@foo.com").exists();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   *
+   * @return True if the query finds a matching row in the database
+   */
+  boolean exists();
+
   /**
    * Execute the query returning either a single bean or null (if no matching
    * bean is found).
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
index 5b9e2893c..77f0e7d0d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
@@ -1363,6 +1363,21 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
     return !ids.isEmpty();
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public <T> boolean exists(SpiQuery<?> ormQuery, SpiTransaction transaction) {
+
+    ormQuery.setMaxRows(1);
+    SpiOrmQueryRequest<?> request = createQueryRequest(Type.ID_LIST, ormQuery, transaction);
+    try {
+      request.initTransIfRequired();
+      List<Object> ids = request.findIds();
+      return !ids.isEmpty();
+
+    } finally {
+      request.endTransIfRequired();
+    }
+  }
+
   @Override
   public <A, T> List<A> findIds(Query<T> query, Transaction t) {
 
@@ -1444,10 +1459,6 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
     return queryFuture;
   }
 
-  public <T> FutureRowCount<T> findFutureRowCount(Query<T> q, Transaction t) {
-    return findFutureCount(q, t);
-  }
-
   @Override
   public <T> FutureIds<T> findFutureIds(Query<T> query, Transaction t) {
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java
index 85a8ffb26..4d4d6c432 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java
@@ -443,6 +443,11 @@ public class DefaultExpressionList<T> implements SpiExpressionList<T> {
     return query.findSingleAttributeList();
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public boolean exists() {
+    return query.exists();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public T findOne() {
     return query.findOne();
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/FilterExpressionList.java b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/FilterExpressionList.java
index a6578ed01..ffaa52702 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/FilterExpressionList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/FilterExpressionList.java
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ public class FilterExpressionList<T> extends DefaultExpressionList<T> {
     return rootQuery.findOneOrEmpty();
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public boolean exists() {
+    return rootQuery.exists();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public ExpressionList<T> having() {
     throw new PersistenceException(notAllowedMessage);
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
index e1c5a5a79..cd74c635d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
@@ -375,6 +375,11 @@ class JunctionExpression<T> implements SpiJunction<T>, SpiExpression, Expression
     return exprList.apply(fetchPath);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public boolean exists() {
+    return exprList.exists();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public FutureIds<T> findFutureIds() {
     return exprList.findFutureIds();
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
index 4b4b906dd..07608ff51 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
@@ -1398,6 +1398,11 @@ public class DefaultOrmQuery<T> implements SpiQuery<T> {
     return server.findIds(this, null);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public boolean exists() {
+    return server.exists(this, null);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public int findCount() {
     // a copy of this query is made in the server
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java b/src/test/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java
index afa192641..2a7026e04 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java
@@ -632,6 +632,11 @@ public class TDSpiEbeanServer implements SpiEbeanServer {
     return false;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public <T> boolean exists(SpiQuery<?> ormQuery, SpiTransaction transaction) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public <T> T find(Class<T> beanType, Object uid) {
     return null;
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/tests/query/TestQueryExists.java b/src/test/java/org/tests/query/TestQueryExists.java
index ea0b19298..84aac4fb6 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/tests/query/TestQueryExists.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/tests/query/TestQueryExists.java
@@ -3,11 +3,10 @@ package org.tests.query;
 import io.ebean.BaseTestCase;
 import io.ebean.Ebean;
 import io.ebean.Query;
+import org.junit.Test;
 import org.tests.model.basic.Customer;
 import org.tests.model.basic.Order;
 import org.tests.model.basic.ResetBasicData;
-import org.junit.Assert;
-import org.junit.Test;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -15,6 +14,27 @@ import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 
 public class TestQueryExists extends BaseTestCase {
 
+  @Test
+  public void testExistsBoolean_basic() {
+
+    ResetBasicData.reset();
+
+    Query<Order> query = Ebean.find(Order.class)
+      .where().gt("id", 1)
+      .query();
+
+    boolean check = query.exists();
+    assertThat(check).isTrue();
+
+    String sql = sqlOf(query);
+    if (isH2() || isPostgres()) {
+      assertThat(sql).contains("select t0.id from o_order t0 where t0.id > ?  limit 1");
+    }
+
+    assertThat(Ebean.find(Order.class).where().gt("id", 1).exists()).isTrue();
+    assertThat(Ebean.find(Order.class).where().or().gt("id", 1).isNull("shipDate").exists()).isTrue();
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testExists_orders_onOneToMany() {
 
@@ -73,7 +93,7 @@ public class TestQueryExists extends BaseTestCase {
     query.findList();
     String sql = query.getGeneratedSql();
 
-    Assert.assertTrue(sql.indexOf("exists (") > 0);
+    assertThat(sql).contains("exists (");
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -86,6 +106,6 @@ public class TestQueryExists extends BaseTestCase {
     query.findList();
     String sql = query.getGeneratedSql();
 
-    Assert.assertTrue(sql.indexOf("not exists (") > 0);
+    assertThat(sql).contains("not exists (");
   }
 }