diff --git a/engine/engine_test.go b/engine/engine_test.go
index 30118e6e..77719780 100644
--- a/engine/engine_test.go
+++ b/engine/engine_test.go
@@ -340,6 +340,18 @@ func TestQueriesAgainstOldEngine(t *testing.T) {
 					http_requests_total{pod="nginx-2"} 1+2x18`,
 			query: "count_over_time(http_requests_total[30s])",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "absent",
+			load: `load 30s
+					http_requests_total{pod="nginx-1"} 0
+					http_requests_total{pod="nginx-2"} 1`,
+			query: "absent(http_requests_total[30s])",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "absent",
+			load: `load 30s`,
+			query: "absent(http_requests_total[30s])",
+		},
 		{
 			name: "average",
 			load: `load 30s
diff --git a/execution/function/functions.go b/execution/function/functions.go
index b4dc75e0..3afdc7ec 100644
--- a/execution/function/functions.go
+++ b/execution/function/functions.go
@@ -68,6 +68,21 @@ var Funcs = map[string]FunctionCall{
 	"asinh": simpleFunc(math.Asinh),
 	"acosh": simpleFunc(math.Acosh),
 	"atanh": simpleFunc(math.Atanh),
+	"absent": func(f FunctionArgs) promql.Sample {
+		if len(f.Points) == 0 {
+			return promql.Sample{
+				Metric: f.Labels,
+				Point: promql.Point{
+					T: f.StepTime,
+					V: 1,
+				},
+			}
+		}
+		return promql.Sample{
+			Metric: f.Labels,
+			Point:  promql.Point{},
+		}
+	},
 	"rad": simpleFunc(func(v float64) float64 {
 		return v * math.Pi / 180
 	}),