diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 682d69a..4a39df1 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-2016-08-09
+2016-08-10
 
         * Version 1.2.0 released
         =========================
 
+        Add GSkyMap::is_empty() method (#1828)
         Add GApplication access by index operator (#1838)
         Add GApplication::pars() and GApplicationPar::current_value() methods (#1838)
         Add GLog is_open(), is_empty() and written_size() methods (#1837)
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 93f024a..e6184ff 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 New Features and Important Changes in GammaLib 1.2.0
 
-9 August 2016
+10 August 2016
 
 
 1. Introduction
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ The following methods have been added:
 - GLog::is_open()
 - GLog::is_empty()
 - GLog::written_size()
+- GSkyMap::is_empty()
 
 The following methods have been removed:
 - ...
@@ -146,6 +147,9 @@ object. In case that no sky map is written, for example because none has been
 defined so far, the method returns NONE. The GSkyMap::publish() method will
 detect the NONE value and will do nothing if no sky map exists (#1835).
 
+The GSkyMap::is_empty() method signals whether a sky map contains no pixels
+or no maps (#1828).
+
 
 13. Support module
 ------------------
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2006261..9ee3665 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 GammaLib information
 ====================
-* Version: 1.2.0.dev1 (9 August 2016)
+* Version: 1.2.0.dev1 (10 August 2016)
 * Author:  Juergen Knoedlseder (jurgen.knodlseder@irap.omp.eu)
 
 [![Build Status](https://cta-jenkins.irap.omp.eu/buildStatus/icon?job=gammalib-integrate-os)](https://cta-jenkins.irap.omp.eu/job/gammalib-integrate-os/)
diff --git a/include/GSkyMap.hpp b/include/GSkyMap.hpp
index 0298d49..30f72a6 100644
--- a/include/GSkyMap.hpp
+++ b/include/GSkyMap.hpp
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ public:
     void                    clear(void);
     GSkyMap*                clone(void) const;
     std::string             classname(void) const;
+    bool                    is_empty(void) const;
     const int&              npix(void) const;
     const int&              nx(void) const;
     const int&              ny(void) const;
@@ -289,6 +290,20 @@ std::string GSkyMap::classname(void) const
 
 
 /***********************************************************************//**
+ * @brief Signals if sky map is empty
+ *
+ * @return True if sky map is empty, false otherwise.
+ *
+ * Signals if a sky map has no pixels or maps.
+ ***************************************************************************/
+inline
+bool GSkyMap::is_empty(void) const
+{
+    return ((m_num_pixels == 0) || (m_num_maps == 0));
+}
+
+
+/***********************************************************************//**
  * @brief Returns number of pixels
  *
  * @return Number of pixels in one sky map.
diff --git a/pyext/GSkyMap.i b/pyext/GSkyMap.i
index a7c12c1..3cb6a6d 100644
--- a/pyext/GSkyMap.i
+++ b/pyext/GSkyMap.i
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ public:
     void                    clear(void);
     GSkyMap*                clone(void) const;
     std::string             classname(void) const;
+    bool                    is_empty(void) const;
     const int&              npix(void) const;
     const int&              nx(void) const;
     const int&              ny(void) const;
diff --git a/test/test_GSky.cpp b/test/test_GSky.cpp
index 281dbca..7526131 100644
--- a/test/test_GSky.cpp
+++ b/test/test_GSky.cpp
@@ -876,6 +876,24 @@ void TestGSky::test_GSkyMap(void)
     system("rm -rf test_map_src.fits");
     system("rm -rf test_map_dst.fits");
     system("rm -rf test_map_shape*.fits");
+
+    // Define empty sky map
+    GSkyMap empty_map;
+ 
+    // Test that empty map is indeed empty
+	test_assert(empty_map.is_empty(), "Check for empty sky map");
+	test_value(empty_map.nmaps(), 0, "Check for no sky maps");
+	test_value(empty_map.npix(), 0, "Check number of empty sky map pixels");
+	test_value(empty_map.nx(), 0, "Check number of empty sky map X pixels");
+	test_value(empty_map.ny(), 0, "Check number of empty sky map X pixels");
+	test_value(empty_map.ndim(), 0, "Check empty sky map dimension");
+	test_value(empty_map.shape().size(), 0, "Check empty sky map shape");
+ 
+    // Test that writing, publishing and printing of empty sky map does not
+    // lead to a segmentation fault
+    empty_map.save("test_empty_map.fits", true);
+    empty_map.publish("Empty sky map");
+    empty_map.print();
  
     // Define several maps for comparison
     GSkyMap map_src("CAR", "GAL", 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 1.0, 10, 10, 2);