diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index e8a4d778479ca1..3971045a4b0284 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ Changes:
 - Validators can now be defined conveniently inline by using the attribute as a decorator.
   Check out the `examples <http://www.attrs.org/en/stable/examples.html#validators>`_ to see it in action!
   `#143 <https://github.com/python-attrs/attrs/issues/143>`_
+- Conversion can now be made optional using ``attr.converters.optional()``.
+  `#105 <https://github.com/python-attrs/attrs/issues/105>`_
+  `#173 <https://github.com/python-attrs/attrs/pull/173>`_
 - ``attr.make_class()`` now accepts the keyword argument ``bases`` which allows for subclassing.
   `#152 <https://github.com/python-attrs/attrs/pull/152>`_
 - Metaclasses are now preserved with ``slots=True``.
diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index 27c942f0b4c844..3a5b89634bccec 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -284,6 +284,24 @@ Validators
       C(x=None)
 
 
+Converters
+----------
+
+.. autofunction:: attr.converters.optional
+
+   For example:
+
+   .. doctest::
+
+      >>> @attr.s
+      ... class C(object):
+      ...     x = attr.ib(convert=attr.converters.optional(int))
+      >>> C(None)
+      C(x=None)
+      >>> C(42)
+      C(x=42)
+
+
 Deprecated APIs
 ---------------
 
diff --git a/src/attr/__init__.py b/src/attr/__init__.py
index 0087f7e428b647..ec9b380b60f9b1 100644
--- a/src/attr/__init__.py
+++ b/src/attr/__init__.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 )
 from . import exceptions
 from . import filters
+from . import converters
 from . import validators
 
 
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@
     "attrib",
     "attributes",
     "attrs",
+    "converters",
     "evolve",
     "exceptions",
     "fields",
diff --git a/src/attr/converters.py b/src/attr/converters.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..3b3bac92be524a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/attr/converters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"""
+Commonly useful converters.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+
+
+def optional(converter):
+    """
+    A converter that allows an attribute to be optional. An optional attribute
+    is one which can be set to ``None``.
+
+    :param callable converter: the converter that is used for non-``None``
+        values.
+
+    ..  versionadded:: 17.1.0
+    """
+
+    def optional_converter(val):
+        if val is None:
+            return None
+        return converter(val)
+
+    return optional_converter
diff --git a/tests/test_converters.py b/tests/test_converters.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..daf39d8ace02a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_converters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""
+Tests for `attr.converters`.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import pytest
+
+from attr.converters import optional
+
+
+class TestOptional(object):
+    """
+    Tests for `optional`.
+    """
+    def test_success_with_type(self):
+        """
+        Wrapped converter is used as usual if value is not None.
+        """
+        c = optional(int)
+        assert c("42") == 42
+
+    def test_success_with_none(self):
+        """
+        Nothing happens if None.
+        """
+        c = optional(int)
+        assert c(None) is None
+
+    def test_fail(self):
+        """
+        Propagates the underlying conversion error when conversion fails.
+        """
+        c = optional(int)
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            c("not_an_int")