diff --git a/utils/functional.py b/utils/functional.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d18fa93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/functional.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+# Erik Stein <code@classlibrary.net>, 2017
+
+
+def firstof(iterable, default=None):
+    """
+    Returns the first value which is neither empty nor None.
+
+    """
+    for value in iterable:
+        if value:
+            return value
+    return default