diff --git a/NEWS.txt b/NEWS.txt
index 9b5d69c..71edd19 100644
--- a/NEWS.txt
+++ b/NEWS.txt
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@
   - Fixed Value::operator <= implementation (had the semantic of operator >=).
     Found when addigin unit tests for comparison operators.
     
+  - Value::compare() is now const and has an actual implementation with
+    unit tests.
+    
 * License
   
   - See file LICENSE for details. Basically JsonCpp is now licensed under 
diff --git a/include/json/value.h b/include/json/value.h
index b629d8c..c9c7e1d 100644
--- a/include/json/value.h
+++ b/include/json/value.h
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ namespace Json {
       bool operator ==( const Value &other ) const;
       bool operator !=( const Value &other ) const;
 
-      int compare( const Value &other );
+      int compare( const Value &other ) const;
 
       const char *asCString() const;
       std::string asString() const;
diff --git a/src/lib_json/json_value.cpp b/src/lib_json/json_value.cpp
index b8de89c..ec3fb2e 100644
--- a/src/lib_json/json_value.cpp
+++ b/src/lib_json/json_value.cpp
@@ -524,35 +524,16 @@ Value::type() const
 
 
 int 
-Value::compare( const Value &other )
+Value::compare( const Value &other ) const
 {
-   /*
-   int typeDelta = other.type_ - type_;
-   switch ( type_ )
-   {
-   case nullValue:
-
-      return other.type_ == type_;
-   case intValue:
-      if ( other.type_.isNumeric()
-   case uintValue:
-   case realValue:
-   case booleanValue:
-      break;
-   case stringValue,
-      break;
-   case arrayValue:
-      delete value_.array_;
-      break;
-   case objectValue:
-      delete value_.map_;
-   default:
-      JSON_ASSERT_UNREACHABLE;
-   }
-   */
-   return 0;  // unreachable
+   if ( *this < other )
+      return -1;
+   if ( *this > other )
+      return 1;
+   return 0;
 }
 
+
 bool 
 Value::operator <( const Value &other ) const
 {
@@ -594,7 +575,7 @@ Value::operator <( const Value &other ) const
    default:
       JSON_ASSERT_UNREACHABLE;
    }
-   return 0;  // unreachable
+   return false;  // unreachable
 }
 
 bool 
@@ -656,7 +637,7 @@ Value::operator ==( const Value &other ) const
    default:
       JSON_ASSERT_UNREACHABLE;
    }
-   return 0;  // unreachable
+   return false;  // unreachable
 }
 
 bool 
diff --git a/src/test_lib_json/main.cpp b/src/test_lib_json/main.cpp
index 004702b..3275219 100644
--- a/src/test_lib_json/main.cpp
+++ b/src/test_lib_json/main.cpp
@@ -256,6 +256,12 @@ ValueTest::checkIs( const Json::Value &value, const IsCheck &check )
 }
 
 
+JSONTEST_FIXTURE( ValueTest, compareNull )
+{
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsEqual( Json::Value(), Json::Value() ) );
+}
+
+
 JSONTEST_FIXTURE( ValueTest, compareInt )
 {
     JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( 0, 10 ) );
@@ -347,6 +353,19 @@ JSONTEST_FIXTURE( ValueTest, compareObject )
 }
 
 
+JSONTEST_FIXTURE( ValueTest, compareType )
+{
+    // object of different type are ordered according to their type
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( Json::Value(), Json::Value(1) ) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( Json::Value(1), Json::Value(1u) ) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( Json::Value(1u), Json::Value(1.0) ) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( Json::Value(1.0), Json::Value("a") ) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( Json::Value("a"), Json::Value(true) ) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( Json::Value(true), Json::Value(Json::arrayValue) ) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT_PRED( checkIsLess( Json::Value(Json::arrayValue), Json::Value(Json::objectValue) ) );
+}
+
+
 void 
 ValueTest::checkIsLess( const Json::Value &x, const Json::Value &y )
 {
@@ -360,6 +379,8 @@ ValueTest::checkIsLess( const Json::Value &x, const Json::Value &y )
     JSONTEST_ASSERT( !(y <= x) );
     JSONTEST_ASSERT( !(x > y) );
     JSONTEST_ASSERT( !(y < x) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT( x.compare( y ) < 0 );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT( y.compare( x ) >= 0 );
 }
 
 
@@ -376,6 +397,8 @@ ValueTest::checkIsEqual( const Json::Value &x, const Json::Value &y )
     JSONTEST_ASSERT( !(y < x) );
     JSONTEST_ASSERT( !(x > y) );
     JSONTEST_ASSERT( !(y > x) );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT( x.compare( y ) == 0 );
+    JSONTEST_ASSERT( y.compare( x ) == 0 );
 }
 
 
@@ -394,6 +417,7 @@ int main( int argc, const char *argv[] )
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, isNull );
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, accessArray );
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, asFloat );
+   JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareNull );
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareInt );
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareUInt );
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareDouble );
@@ -401,5 +425,6 @@ int main( int argc, const char *argv[] )
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareBoolean );
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareArray );
    JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareObject );
+   JSONTEST_REGISTER_FIXTURE( runner, ValueTest, compareType );
    return runner.runCommandLine( argc, argv );
 }