diff --git a/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp b/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp
index 6c7d5814..df41e770 100644
--- a/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ class aligned_storage
 #endif
     dummy_u
     {
+        // empty_initiliazer_ is used only to shut down gcc warnings about
+        // data "may be used unitialized"
+        char empty_initiliazer_;
         char data[ sizeof(T) ];
         BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME type_with_alignment<
           ::boost::alignment_of<T>::value >::type aligner_;
@@ -47,6 +50,11 @@ class aligned_storage
     void      * address()       { return dummy_.data; }
 #endif
 
+    void construct_empty()
+    {
+        dummy_.empty_initiliazer_ = '\0';
+    }
+
 #if defined(BOOST_OPTIONAL_DETAIL_USE_ATTRIBUTE_MAY_ALIAS)
 	// This workaround is supposed to silence GCC warnings about broken strict aliasing rules
 	T const* ptr_ref() const
diff --git a/include/boost/optional/optional.hpp b/include/boost/optional/optional.hpp
index ff1a16ca..04479e22 100644
--- a/include/boost/optional/optional.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/optional/optional.hpp
@@ -89,13 +89,19 @@ class optional_base : public optional_tag
     // No-throw
     optional_base()
       :
-      m_initialized(false) {}
+      m_initialized(false)
+    {
+      construct_empty();
+    }
 
     // Creates an optional<T> uninitialized.
     // No-throw
     optional_base ( none_t )
       :
-      m_initialized(false) {}
+      m_initialized(false)
+    {
+      construct_empty();
+    }
 
     // Creates an optional<T> initialized with 'val'.
     // Can throw if T::T(T const&) does
@@ -125,6 +131,8 @@ class optional_base : public optional_tag
     {
       if ( cond )
         construct(val);
+      else
+        construct_empty();
     }
 
     // Creates a deep copy of another optional<T>
@@ -135,6 +143,8 @@ class optional_base : public optional_tag
     {
       if ( rhs.is_initialized() )
         construct(rhs.get_impl());
+      else
+        construct_empty();
     }
 
 #ifndef  BOOST_OPTIONAL_DETAIL_NO_RVALUE_REFERENCES
@@ -146,6 +156,8 @@ class optional_base : public optional_tag
     {
       if ( rhs.is_initialized() )
         construct( boost::move(rhs.get_impl()) );
+      else
+        construct_empty();
     }
 #endif
 
@@ -320,6 +332,11 @@ class optional_base : public optional_tag
 
   protected :
 
+    void construct_empty ()
+     {
+      m_storage.construct_empty();
+     }
+
     void construct ( argument_type val )
      {
        ::new (m_storage.address()) value_type(val) ;