diff --git a/rlp/decode.go b/rlp/decode.go
index dbbe599597a8..7191cc400e28 100644
--- a/rlp/decode.go
+++ b/rlp/decode.go
@@ -91,9 +91,9 @@ type Decoder interface {
 // rules for the field such that input values of size zero decode as a nil
 // pointer. This tag can be useful when decoding recursive types.
 //
-//     type StructWithEmptyOK struct {
-//         Foo *[20]byte `rlp:"nil"`
-//     }
+//	type StructWithEmptyOK struct {
+//	    Foo *[20]byte `rlp:"nil"`
+//	}
 //
 // To decode into a slice, the input must be a list and the resulting
 // slice will contain the input elements in order. For byte slices,
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ type Decoder interface {
 // To decode into an interface value, Decode stores one of these
 // in the value:
 //
-//	  []interface{}, for RLP lists
-//	  []byte, for RLP strings
+//	[]interface{}, for RLP lists
+//	[]byte, for RLP strings
 //
 // Non-empty interface types are not supported, nor are booleans,
 // signed integers, floating point numbers, maps, channels and
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ type Decoder interface {
 // and may be vulnerable to panics cause by huge value sizes. If
 // you need an input limit, use
 //
-//     NewStream(r, limit).Decode(val)
+//	NewStream(r, limit).Decode(val)
 func Decode(r io.Reader, val interface{}) error {
 	// TODO: this could use a Stream from a pool.
 	return NewStream(r, 0).Decode(val)
@@ -438,9 +438,16 @@ func makeStructDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (decoder, error) {
 		if _, err := s.List(); err != nil {
 			return wrapStreamError(err, typ)
 		}
-		for _, f := range fields {
+		for i, f := range fields {
 			err := f.info.decoder(s, val.Field(f.index))
 			if err == EOL {
+				if f.optional {
+					// The field is optional, so reaching the end of the list before
+					// reaching the last field is acceptable. All remaining undecoded
+					// fields are zeroed.
+					zeroFields(val, fields[i:])
+					break
+				}
 				return &decodeError{msg: "too few elements", typ: typ}
 			} else if err != nil {
 				return addErrorContext(err, "."+typ.Field(f.index).Name)
@@ -451,6 +458,13 @@ func makeStructDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (decoder, error) {
 	return dec, nil
 }
 
+func zeroFields(structval reflect.Value, fields []field) {
+	for _, f := range fields {
+		fv := structval.Field(f.index)
+		fv.Set(reflect.Zero(fv.Type()))
+	}
+}
+
 // makePtrDecoder creates a decoder that decodes into
 // the pointer's element type.
 func makePtrDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (decoder, error) {
diff --git a/rlp/decode_test.go b/rlp/decode_test.go
index 4d8abd001281..679bb17d7b97 100644
--- a/rlp/decode_test.go
+++ b/rlp/decode_test.go
@@ -354,7 +354,29 @@ var (
 	)
 )
 
-type hasIgnoredField struct {
+type optionalFields struct {
+	A uint
+	B uint `rlp:"optional"`
+	C uint `rlp:"optional"`
+}
+type optionalAndTailField struct {
+	A    uint
+	B    uint   `rlp:"optional"`
+	Tail []uint `rlp:"tail"`
+}
+type optionalBigIntField struct {
+	A uint
+	B *big.Int `rlp:"optional"`
+}
+type optionalPtrField struct {
+	A uint
+	B *[3]byte `rlp:"optional"`
+}
+type optionalPtrFieldNil struct {
+	A uint
+	B *[3]byte `rlp:"optional,nil"`
+}
+type ignoredField struct {
 	A uint
 	B uint `rlp:"-"`
 	C uint
@@ -514,8 +536,112 @@ var decodeTests = []decodeTest{
 	// struct tag "-"
 	{
 		input: "C20102",
-		ptr:   new(hasIgnoredField),
-		value: hasIgnoredField{A: 1, C: 2},
+		ptr:   new(ignoredField),
+		value: ignoredField{A: 1, C: 2},
+	},
+
+	// struct tag "optional"
+	{
+		input: "C101",
+		ptr:   new(optionalFields),
+		value: optionalFields{1, 0, 0},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20102",
+		ptr:   new(optionalFields),
+		value: optionalFields{1, 2, 0},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C3010203",
+		ptr:   new(optionalFields),
+		value: optionalFields{1, 2, 3},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C401020304",
+		ptr:   new(optionalFields),
+		error: "rlp: input list has too many elements for rlp.optionalFields",
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C101",
+		ptr:   new(optionalAndTailField),
+		value: optionalAndTailField{A: 1},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20102",
+		ptr:   new(optionalAndTailField),
+		value: optionalAndTailField{A: 1, B: 2, Tail: []uint{}},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C401020304",
+		ptr:   new(optionalAndTailField),
+		value: optionalAndTailField{A: 1, B: 2, Tail: []uint{3, 4}},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C101",
+		ptr:   new(optionalBigIntField),
+		value: optionalBigIntField{A: 1, B: nil},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20102",
+		ptr:   new(optionalBigIntField),
+		value: optionalBigIntField{A: 1, B: big.NewInt(2)},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C101",
+		ptr:   new(optionalPtrField),
+		value: optionalPtrField{A: 1},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20180", // not accepted because "optional" doesn't enable "nil"
+		ptr:   new(optionalPtrField),
+		error: "rlp: input string too short for [3]uint8, decoding into (rlp.optionalPtrField).B",
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20102",
+		ptr:   new(optionalPtrField),
+		error: "rlp: input string too short for [3]uint8, decoding into (rlp.optionalPtrField).B",
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C50183010203",
+		ptr:   new(optionalPtrField),
+		value: optionalPtrField{A: 1, B: &[3]byte{1, 2, 3}},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C101",
+		ptr:   new(optionalPtrFieldNil),
+		value: optionalPtrFieldNil{A: 1},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20180", // accepted because "nil" tag allows empty input
+		ptr:   new(optionalPtrFieldNil),
+		value: optionalPtrFieldNil{A: 1},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20102",
+		ptr:   new(optionalPtrFieldNil),
+		error: "rlp: input string too short for [3]uint8, decoding into (rlp.optionalPtrFieldNil).B",
+	},
+
+	// struct tag "optional" field clearing
+	{
+		input: "C101",
+		ptr:   &optionalFields{A: 9, B: 8, C: 7},
+		value: optionalFields{A: 1, B: 0, C: 0},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20102",
+		ptr:   &optionalFields{A: 9, B: 8, C: 7},
+		value: optionalFields{A: 1, B: 2, C: 0},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C20102",
+		ptr:   &optionalAndTailField{A: 9, B: 8, Tail: []uint{7, 6, 5}},
+		value: optionalAndTailField{A: 1, B: 2, Tail: []uint{}},
+	},
+	{
+		input: "C101",
+		ptr:   &optionalPtrField{A: 9, B: &[3]byte{8, 7, 6}},
+		value: optionalPtrField{A: 1},
 	},
 
 	// RawValue
@@ -817,3 +943,35 @@ func unhex(str string) []byte {
 	}
 	return b
 }
+
+// This tests the validity checks for fields with struct tag "optional".
+func TestInvalidOptionalField(t *testing.T) {
+	type (
+		invalid1 struct {
+			A uint `rlp:"optional"`
+			B uint
+		}
+		invalid2 struct {
+			T []uint `rlp:"tail,optional"`
+		}
+		invalid3 struct {
+			T []uint `rlp:"optional,tail"`
+		}
+	)
+	tests := []struct {
+		v   interface{}
+		err string
+	}{
+		{v: new(invalid1), err: `rlp: struct field rlp.invalid1.B needs "optional" tag`},
+		{v: new(invalid2), err: `rlp: invalid struct tag "optional" for rlp.invalid2.T (cannot be used with "tail")`},
+		{v: new(invalid3), err: `rlp: invalid struct tag "tail" for rlp.invalid3.T (cannot be used with "optional")`},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		err := DecodeBytes(unhex("C20102"), test.v)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("no error for %T", test.v)
+		} else if err.Error() != test.err {
+			t.Errorf("wrong error for %T: %v", test.v, err.Error())
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/rlp/encode.go b/rlp/encode.go
index 445b4b5b2104..6e0cc0716b9f 100644
--- a/rlp/encode.go
+++ b/rlp/encode.go
@@ -529,15 +529,39 @@ func makeStructWriter(typ reflect.Type) (writer, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	writer := func(val reflect.Value, w *encbuf) error {
-		lh := w.list()
-		for _, f := range fields {
-			if err := f.info.writer(val.Field(f.index), w); err != nil {
-				return err
+	var writer writer
+	firstOptionalField := firstOptionalField(fields)
+	if firstOptionalField == len(fields) {
+		// This is the writer function for structs without any optional fields.
+		writer = func(val reflect.Value, w *encbuf) error {
+			lh := w.list()
+			for _, f := range fields {
+				if err := f.info.writer(val.Field(f.index), w); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 			}
+			w.listEnd(lh)
+			return nil
+		}
+	} else {
+		// If there are any "optional" fields, the writer needs to perform additional
+		// checks to determine the output list length.
+		writer = func(val reflect.Value, w *encbuf) error {
+			lastField := len(fields) - 1
+			for ; lastField >= firstOptionalField; lastField-- {
+				if !val.Field(fields[lastField].index).IsZero() {
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			lh := w.list()
+			for i := 0; i <= lastField; i++ {
+				if err := fields[i].info.writer(val.Field(fields[i].index), w); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+			w.listEnd(lh)
+			return nil
 		}
-		w.listEnd(lh)
-		return nil
 	}
 	return writer, nil
 }
diff --git a/rlp/encode_test.go b/rlp/encode_test.go
index 827960f7c15a..f9b909f2f35b 100644
--- a/rlp/encode_test.go
+++ b/rlp/encode_test.go
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ var encTests = []encTest{
 	{val: &tailRaw{A: 1, Tail: []RawValue{unhex("02")}}, output: "C20102"},
 	{val: &tailRaw{A: 1, Tail: []RawValue{}}, output: "C101"},
 	{val: &tailRaw{A: 1, Tail: nil}, output: "C101"},
-	{val: &hasIgnoredField{A: 1, B: 2, C: 3}, output: "C20103"},
+	{val: &ignoredField{A: 1, B: 2, C: 3}, output: "C20103"},
 
 	// nil
 	{val: (*uint)(nil), output: "80"},
@@ -232,6 +232,20 @@ var encTests = []encTest{
 	{val: (*[]struct{ uint })(nil), output: "C0"},
 	{val: (*interface{})(nil), output: "C0"},
 
+	// struct tag "optional"
+	{val: &optionalFields{}, output: "C180"},
+	{val: &optionalFields{A: 1}, output: "C101"},
+	{val: &optionalFields{A: 1, B: 2}, output: "C20102"},
+	{val: &optionalFields{A: 1, B: 2, C: 3}, output: "C3010203"},
+	{val: &optionalFields{A: 1, B: 0, C: 3}, output: "C3018003"},
+	{val: &optionalAndTailField{A: 1}, output: "C101"},
+	{val: &optionalAndTailField{A: 1, B: 2}, output: "C20102"},
+	{val: &optionalAndTailField{A: 1, Tail: []uint{5, 6}}, output: "C401800506"},
+	{val: &optionalAndTailField{A: 1, Tail: []uint{5, 6}}, output: "C401800506"},
+	{val: &optionalBigIntField{A: 1}, output: "C101"},
+	{val: &optionalPtrField{A: 1}, output: "C101"},
+	{val: &optionalPtrFieldNil{A: 1}, output: "C101"},
+
 	// interfaces
 	{val: []io.Reader{reader}, output: "C3C20102"}, // the contained value is a struct
 
diff --git a/rlp/typecache.go b/rlp/typecache.go
index 3df799e1ecd5..c14178e1e30b 100644
--- a/rlp/typecache.go
+++ b/rlp/typecache.go
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ type typeinfo struct {
 type tags struct {
 	// rlp:"nil" controls whether empty input results in a nil pointer.
 	nilOK bool
+	// rlp:"optional" allows for a field to be missing in the input list.
+	// If this is set, all subsequent fields must also be optional.
+	optional bool
 	// rlp:"tail" controls whether this field swallows additional list
 	// elements. It can only be set for the last field, which must be
 	// of slice type.
@@ -91,11 +94,14 @@ func cachedTypeInfo1(typ reflect.Type, tags tags) (*typeinfo, error) {
 }
 
 type field struct {
-	index int
-	info  *typeinfo
+	index    int
+	info     *typeinfo
+	optional bool
 }
 
 func structFields(typ reflect.Type) (fields []field, err error) {
+	anyOptional := false
+
 	for i := 0; i < typ.NumField(); i++ {
 		if f := typ.Field(i); f.PkgPath == "" { // exported
 			tags, err := parseStructTag(typ, i)
@@ -105,16 +111,32 @@ func structFields(typ reflect.Type) (fields []field, err error) {
 			if tags.ignored {
 				continue
 			}
+			// If any field has the "optional" tag, subsequent fields must also have it.
+			if tags.optional || tags.tail {
+				anyOptional = true
+			} else if anyOptional {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf(`rlp: struct field %v.%s needs "optional" tag`, typ, f.Name)
+			}
 			info, err := cachedTypeInfo1(f.Type, tags)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
-			fields = append(fields, field{i, info})
+			fields = append(fields, field{i, info, tags.optional})
 		}
 	}
 	return fields, nil
 }
 
+// anyOptionalFields returns the index of the first field with "optional" tag.
+func firstOptionalField(fields []field) int {
+	for i, f := range fields {
+		if f.optional {
+			return i
+		}
+	}
+	return len(fields)
+}
+
 func parseStructTag(typ reflect.Type, fi int) (tags, error) {
 	f := typ.Field(fi)
 	var ts tags
@@ -125,11 +147,19 @@ func parseStructTag(typ reflect.Type, fi int) (tags, error) {
 			ts.ignored = true
 		case "nil":
 			ts.nilOK = true
+		case "optional":
+			ts.optional = true
+			if ts.tail {
+				return ts, fmt.Errorf(`rlp: invalid struct tag "optional" for %v.%s (cannot be used with "tail")`, typ, f.Name)
+			}
 		case "tail":
 			ts.tail = true
 			if fi != typ.NumField()-1 {
 				return ts, fmt.Errorf(`rlp: invalid struct tag "tail" for %v.%s (must be on last field)`, typ, f.Name)
 			}
+			if ts.optional {
+				return ts, fmt.Errorf(`rlp: invalid struct tag "tail" for %v.%v (cannot be used with "optional")`, typ, f.Name)
+			}
 			if f.Type.Kind() != reflect.Slice {
 				return ts, fmt.Errorf(`rlp: invalid struct tag "tail" for %v.%s (field type is not slice)`, typ, f.Name)
 			}