diff --git a/include/value.h b/include/value.h
index f72304cf..626d20dc 100644
--- a/include/value.h
+++ b/include/value.h
@@ -380,6 +380,9 @@ class Value : private HashParent
     bool isObject()     const { return type() == Type::Object; }
     bool isArray()      const { return type() == Type::Array; }
     bool isCallable()   const;
+    bool isList()       const;
+    bool isMap()        const { return type() == Type::Array && !isList(); }
+    bool isRef()        const;
 
     /**
      *  Get access to the raw buffer - you can use this for direct reading and
diff --git a/zend/value.cpp b/zend/value.cpp
index 9a1a5dbb..175a0061 100644
--- a/zend/value.cpp
+++ b/zend/value.cpp
@@ -1408,6 +1408,38 @@ bool Value::isCallable() const
     return zend_is_callable(_val, 0, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
 }
 
+/**
+ *  Check if the variable holds something that is list
+ *  @return bool
+ */ 
+bool Value::isList() const
+{
+    // must be an array
+    if (!isArray()) return false;
+
+    // get the number of elements
+    ulong count = zend_hash_num_elements(Z_ARRVAL_P(_val));
+
+    // zero length array
+    if (count == 0) return true;
+
+    // count == 1 and a[0] exists
+    if (count == 1 && contains(0)) return true;
+
+    // a[0] exists, a[count - 1] exists and the next index is count
+    return contains(0) && contains(count - 1) &&
+           zend_hash_next_free_element(Z_ARRVAL_P(_val)) == count;
+}
+
+/**
+ *  Check if the variable holds something that is ref
+ *  @return bool
+ */ 
+bool Value::isRef() const
+{
+    return Z_ISREF_P(_val);
+}
+
 /**
  *  Make a clone of the type
  *  @return Value