diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/CriteriaQueryProcessor.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/CriteriaQueryProcessor.java
index f11de8802..4683fd7b6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/CriteriaQueryProcessor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/CriteriaQueryProcessor.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @author Artur Konczak
  * @author Rasmus Faber-Espensen
  * @author James Bodkin
+ * @author Peter-Josef Meisch
  */
 class CriteriaQueryProcessor {
 
@@ -134,17 +135,23 @@ class CriteriaQueryProcessor {
 		return query;
 	}
 
-	private QueryBuilder processCriteriaEntry(Criteria.CriteriaEntry entry,
-			/* OperationKey key, Object value,*/ String fieldName) {
-		Object value = entry.getValue();
-		if (value == null) {
-			return null;
-		}
+	private QueryBuilder processCriteriaEntry(Criteria.CriteriaEntry entry, String fieldName) {
 		OperationKey key = entry.getKey();
-		QueryBuilder query = null;
+		Object value = entry.getValue();
+
+		if (value == null) {
+
+			if (key == OperationKey.EXISTS) {
+				return existsQuery(fieldName);
+			} else {
+				return null;
+			}
+		}
 
 		String searchText = QueryParserUtil.escape(value.toString());
 
+		QueryBuilder query = null;
+
 		switch (key) {
 			case EQUALS:
 				query = queryStringQuery(searchText).field(fieldName).defaultOperator(AND);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java
index ffb2ecb63..83ae04429 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java
@@ -15,10 +15,14 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.query;
 
-import java.util.*;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
 
-import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
-import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 import org.springframework.dao.InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoBox;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoPoint;
@@ -26,6 +30,8 @@ import org.springframework.data.geo.Box;
 import org.springframework.data.geo.Distance;
 import org.springframework.data.geo.Point;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
+import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * Criteria is the central class when constructing queries. It follows more or less a fluent API style, which allows to
@@ -34,18 +40,15 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @author Rizwan Idrees
  * @author Mohsin Husen
  * @author Franck Marchand
+ * @author Peter-Josef Meisch
  */
 public class Criteria {
 
 	@Override
 	public String toString() {
-		return "Criteria{" +
-				"field=" + field.getName() +
-				", boost=" + boost +
-				", negating=" + negating +
-				", queryCriteria=" + ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(queryCriteria) +
-				", filterCriteria=" + ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(filterCriteria) +
-				'}';
+		return "Criteria{" + "field=" + field.getName() + ", boost=" + boost + ", negating=" + negating + ", queryCriteria="
+				+ ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(queryCriteria) + ", filterCriteria="
+				+ ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(filterCriteria) + '}';
 	}
 
 	public static final String WILDCARD = "*";
@@ -64,8 +67,7 @@ public class Criteria {
 
 	private Set<CriteriaEntry> filterCriteria = new LinkedHashSet<>();
 
-	public Criteria() {
-	}
+	public Criteria() {}
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new Criteria with provided field name
@@ -209,6 +211,17 @@ public class Criteria {
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new CriteriaEntry for existence check.
+	 * 
+	 * @return this object
+	 * @since 4.0
+	 */
+	public Criteria exists() {
+		queryCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.EXISTS, null));
+		return this;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Crates new CriteriaEntry with leading and trailing wildcards <br/>
 	 * <strong>NOTE: </strong> mind your schema as leading wildcards may not be supported and/or execution might be slow.
@@ -305,7 +318,7 @@ public class Criteria {
 			throw new InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException("Range [* TO *] is not allowed");
 		}
 
-		queryCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BETWEEN, new Object[]{lowerBound, upperBound}));
+		queryCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BETWEEN, new Object[] { lowerBound, upperBound }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
@@ -377,9 +390,9 @@ public class Criteria {
 
 	private List<Object> toCollection(Object... values) {
 		if (values.length == 0 || (values.length > 1 && values[1] instanceof Collection)) {
-			throw new InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException("At least one element "
-					+ (values.length > 0 ? ("of argument of type " + values[1].getClass().getName()) : "")
-					+ " has to be present.");
+			throw new InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException(
+					"At least one element " + (values.length > 0 ? ("of argument of type " + values[1].getClass().getName()) : "")
+							+ " has to be present.");
 		}
 		return Arrays.asList(values);
 	}
@@ -398,15 +411,14 @@ public class Criteria {
 	 * Creates new CriteriaEntry for {@code location WITHIN distance}
 	 *
 	 * @param location {@link org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoPoint} center coordinates
-	 * @param distance {@link String} radius as a string (e.g. : '100km').
-	 * Distance unit :
-	 * either mi/miles or km can be set
+	 * @param distance {@link String} radius as a string (e.g. : '100km'). Distance unit : either mi/miles or km can be
+	 *          set
 	 * @return Criteria the chaind criteria with the new 'within' criteria included.
 	 */
 	public Criteria within(GeoPoint location, String distance) {
 		Assert.notNull(location, "Location value for near criteria must not be null");
 		Assert.notNull(location, "Distance value for near criteria must not be null");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.WITHIN, new Object[]{location, distance}));
+		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.WITHIN, new Object[] { location, distance }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
@@ -414,56 +426,54 @@ public class Criteria {
 	 * Creates new CriteriaEntry for {@code location WITHIN distance}
 	 *
 	 * @param location {@link org.springframework.data.geo.Point} center coordinates
-	 * @param distance {@link org.springframework.data.geo.Distance} radius
-	 * .
+	 * @param distance {@link org.springframework.data.geo.Distance} radius .
 	 * @return Criteria the chaind criteria with the new 'within' criteria included.
 	 */
 	public Criteria within(Point location, Distance distance) {
 		Assert.notNull(location, "Location value for near criteria must not be null");
 		Assert.notNull(location, "Distance value for near criteria must not be null");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.WITHIN, new Object[]{location, distance}));
+		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.WITHIN, new Object[] { location, distance }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates new CriteriaEntry for {@code geoLocation WITHIN distance}
 	 *
-	 * @param geoLocation {@link String} center point
-	 * supported formats:
-	 * lat on = > "41.2,45.1",
-	 * geohash = > "asd9as0d"
-	 * @param distance {@link String} radius as a string (e.g. : '100km').
-	 * Distance unit :
-	 * either mi/miles or km can be set
+	 * @param geoLocation {@link String} center point supported formats: lat on = > "41.2,45.1", geohash = > "asd9as0d"
+	 * @param distance {@link String} radius as a string (e.g. : '100km'). Distance unit : either mi/miles or km can be
+	 *          set
 	 * @return
 	 */
 	public Criteria within(String geoLocation, String distance) {
 		Assert.isTrue(!StringUtils.isEmpty(geoLocation), "geoLocation value must not be null");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.WITHIN, new Object[]{geoLocation, distance}));
+		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.WITHIN, new Object[] { geoLocation, distance }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates new CriteriaEntry for {@code location GeoBox bounding box}
 	 *
-	 * @param boundingBox {@link org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoBox} bounding box(left top corner + right bottom corner)
+	 * @param boundingBox {@link org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoBox} bounding box(left top corner +
+	 *          right bottom corner)
 	 * @return Criteria the chaind criteria with the new 'boundingBox' criteria included.
 	 */
 	public Criteria boundedBy(GeoBox boundingBox) {
 		Assert.notNull(boundingBox, "boundingBox value for boundedBy criteria must not be null");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[]{boundingBox}));
+		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[] { boundingBox }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates new CriteriaEntry for {@code location Box bounding box}
 	 *
-	 * @param boundingBox {@link org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoBox} bounding box(left top corner + right bottom corner)
+	 * @param boundingBox {@link org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoBox} bounding box(left top corner +
+	 *          right bottom corner)
 	 * @return Criteria the chaind criteria with the new 'boundingBox' criteria included.
 	 */
 	public Criteria boundedBy(Box boundingBox) {
 		Assert.notNull(boundingBox, "boundingBox value for boundedBy criteria must not be null");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[]{boundingBox.getFirst(), boundingBox.getSecond()}));
+		filterCriteria
+				.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[] { boundingBox.getFirst(), boundingBox.getSecond() }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
@@ -477,7 +487,7 @@ public class Criteria {
 	public Criteria boundedBy(String topLeftGeohash, String bottomRightGeohash) {
 		Assert.isTrue(!StringUtils.isEmpty(topLeftGeohash), "topLeftGeohash must not be empty");
 		Assert.isTrue(!StringUtils.isEmpty(bottomRightGeohash), "bottomRightGeohash must not be empty");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[]{topLeftGeohash, bottomRightGeohash}));
+		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[] { topLeftGeohash, bottomRightGeohash }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
@@ -491,14 +501,15 @@ public class Criteria {
 	public Criteria boundedBy(GeoPoint topLeftPoint, GeoPoint bottomRightPoint) {
 		Assert.notNull(topLeftPoint, "topLeftPoint must not be null");
 		Assert.notNull(bottomRightPoint, "bottomRightPoint must not be null");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[]{topLeftPoint, bottomRightPoint}));
+		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[] { topLeftPoint, bottomRightPoint }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
 	public Criteria boundedBy(Point topLeftPoint, Point bottomRightPoint) {
 		Assert.notNull(topLeftPoint, "topLeftPoint must not be null");
 		Assert.notNull(bottomRightPoint, "bottomRightPoint must not be null");
-		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX, new Object[]{GeoPoint.fromPoint(topLeftPoint), GeoPoint.fromPoint(bottomRightPoint)}));
+		filterCriteria.add(new CriteriaEntry(OperationKey.BBOX,
+				new Object[] { GeoPoint.fromPoint(topLeftPoint), GeoPoint.fromPoint(bottomRightPoint) }));
 		return this;
 	}
 
@@ -587,8 +598,27 @@ public class Criteria {
 		}
 	}
 
-	public enum OperationKey {
-		EQUALS, CONTAINS, STARTS_WITH, ENDS_WITH, EXPRESSION, BETWEEN, FUZZY, IN, NOT_IN, WITHIN, BBOX, NEAR, LESS, LESS_EQUAL, GREATER, GREATER_EQUAL;
+	public enum OperationKey { //
+		EQUALS, //
+		CONTAINS, //
+		STARTS_WITH, //
+		ENDS_WITH, //
+		EXPRESSION, //
+		BETWEEN, //
+		FUZZY, //
+		IN, //
+		NOT_IN, //
+		WITHIN, //
+		BBOX, //
+		NEAR, //
+		LESS, //
+		LESS_EQUAL, //
+		GREATER, //
+		GREATER_EQUAL, //
+		/**
+		 * @since 4.0
+		 */
+		EXISTS;
 	}
 
 	public static class CriteriaEntry {
@@ -611,10 +641,7 @@ public class Criteria {
 
 		@Override
 		public String toString() {
-			return "CriteriaEntry{" +
-					"key=" + key +
-					", value=" + value +
-					'}';
+			return "CriteriaEntry{" + "key=" + key + ", value=" + value + '}';
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/parser/ElasticsearchQueryCreator.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/parser/ElasticsearchQueryCreator.java
index ab5490224..f7f327efd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/parser/ElasticsearchQueryCreator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/parser/ElasticsearchQueryCreator.java
@@ -138,9 +138,14 @@ public class ElasticsearchQueryCreator extends AbstractQueryCreator<CriteriaQuer
 				Object firstParameter = parameters.next();
 				Object secondParameter = null;
 				if (type == Part.Type.SIMPLE_PROPERTY) {
-					if (part.getProperty().getType() != GeoPoint.class)
-						return criteria.is(firstParameter);
-					else {
+					if (part.getProperty().getType() != GeoPoint.class) {
+						if (firstParameter != null) {
+							return criteria.is(firstParameter);
+						} else {
+							// searching for null is a must_not (exists)
+							return criteria.exists().not();
+						}
+					} else {
 						// it means it's a simple find with exact geopoint matching (e.g. findByLocation)
 						// and because Elasticsearch does not have any kind of query with just a geopoint
 						// as argument we use a "geo distance" query with a distance of one meter.
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/keywords/QueryKeywordsTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/keywords/QueryKeywordsTests.java
index de43eed5d..a5679e89f 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/keywords/QueryKeywordsTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/query/keywords/QueryKeywordsTests.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import lombok.NoArgsConstructor;
 import lombok.Setter;
 
 import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
@@ -43,6 +42,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.junit.jupiter.SpringIntegrationTes
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repository.ElasticsearchRepository;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repository.config.EnableElasticsearchRepositories;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.utils.IndexInitializer;
+import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 
 /**
@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 				.sortName("sort2").build();
 		Product product5 = Product.builder().id("5").name("Salt").text("Sea salt").price(2.1f).available(false)
 				.sortName("sort1").build();
+		Product product6 = Product.builder().id("6").name(null).text("no name").price(3.4f).available(false)
+				.sortName("sort0").build();
 
-		repository.saveAll(Arrays.asList(product1, product2, product3, product4, product5));
-
-		elasticsearchTemplate.refresh(Product.class);
+		repository.saveAll(Arrays.asList(product1, product2, product3, product4, product5, product6));
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 
 		// then
 		assertThat(repository.findByAvailableTrue()).hasSize(3);
-		assertThat(repository.findByAvailableFalse()).hasSize(2);
+		assertThat(repository.findByAvailableFalse()).hasSize(3);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 
 		// then
 		assertThat(repository.findByPriceIn(Arrays.asList(1.2f, 1.1f))).hasSize(2);
-		assertThat(repository.findByPriceNotIn(Arrays.asList(1.2f, 1.1f))).hasSize(3);
-		assertThat(repository.findByPriceNot(1.2f)).hasSize(4);
+		assertThat(repository.findByPriceNotIn(Arrays.asList(1.2f, 1.1f))).hasSize(4);
+		assertThat(repository.findByPriceNot(1.2f)).hasSize(5);
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATAES-171
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 		// when
 
 		// then
-		assertThat(repository.findByIdNotIn(Arrays.asList("2", "3"))).hasSize(3);
+		assertThat(repository.findByIdNotIn(Arrays.asList("2", "3"))).hasSize(4);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 		assertThat(repository.findByPriceLessThan(1.1f)).hasSize(1);
 		assertThat(repository.findByPriceLessThanEqual(1.1f)).hasSize(2);
 
-		assertThat(repository.findByPriceGreaterThan(1.9f)).hasSize(1);
-		assertThat(repository.findByPriceGreaterThanEqual(1.9f)).hasSize(2);
+		assertThat(repository.findByPriceGreaterThan(1.9f)).hasSize(2);
+		assertThat(repository.findByPriceGreaterThanEqual(1.9f)).hasSize(3);
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATAES-615
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 		List<String> sortedIds = repository.findAllByOrderByText().stream() //
 				.map(it -> it.text).collect(Collectors.toList());
 
-		assertThat(sortedIds).containsExactly("Beet sugar", "Cane sugar", "Cane sugar", "Rock salt", "Sea salt");
+		assertThat(sortedIds).containsExactly("Beet sugar", "Cane sugar", "Cane sugar", "Rock salt", "Sea salt", "no name");
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATAES-615
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 		List<String> sortedIds = repository.findAllByOrderBySortName().stream() //
 				.map(it -> it.id).collect(Collectors.toList());
 
-		assertThat(sortedIds).containsExactly("5", "4", "3", "2", "1");
+		assertThat(sortedIds).containsExactly("6", "5", "4", "3", "2", "1");
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATAES-178
@@ -241,6 +241,22 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 		products.forEach(product -> assertThat(product.name).isEqualTo("Sugar"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void shouldSearchForNullValues() {
+		final List<Product> products = repository.findByName(null);
+
+		assertThat(products).hasSize(1);
+		assertThat(products.get(0).getId()).isEqualTo("6");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void shouldDeleteWithNullValues() {
+		repository.deleteByName(null);
+
+		long count = repository.count();
+		assertThat(count).isEqualTo(5);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @author Mohsin Husen
 	 * @author Artur Konczak
@@ -256,28 +272,14 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 
 		@Id private String id;
 
-		private List<String> title;
-
 		private String name;
 
-		private String description;
-
 		@Field(type = FieldType.Keyword) private String text;
 
-		private List<String> categories;
-
-		private Float weight;
-
 		@Field(type = FieldType.Float) private Float price;
 
-		private Integer popularity;
-
 		private boolean available;
 
-		private String location;
-
-		private Date lastModified;
-
 		@Field(name = "sort-name", type = FieldType.Keyword) private String sortName;
 	}
 
@@ -286,6 +288,8 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 	 */
 	interface ProductRepository extends ElasticsearchRepository<Product, String> {
 
+		List<Product> findByName(@Nullable String name);
+
 		List<Product> findByNameAndText(String name, String text);
 
 		List<Product> findByNameAndPrice(String name, Float price);
@@ -331,6 +335,8 @@ class QueryKeywordsTests {
 		List<Product> findFirst2ByName(String name);
 
 		List<Product> findTop2ByName(String name);
+
+		void deleteByName(@Nullable String name);
 	}
 
 }