diff --git a/compiler/testData/codegen/box/reflection/classes/createInstance.kt b/compiler/testData/codegen/box/reflection/classes/createInstance.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3b8e7db7a28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/codegen/box/reflection/classes/createInstance.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+// WITH_REFLECT
+
+import kotlin.reflect.createInstance
+import kotlin.test.assertTrue
+import kotlin.test.fail
+
+// Good classes
+
+class Simple
+class PrimaryWithDefaults(val d1: String = "d1", val d2: Int = 2)
+class Secondary(val s: String) {
+    constructor() : this("s")
+}
+class SecondaryWithDefaults(val s: String) {
+    constructor(x: Int = 0) : this(x.toString())
+}
+class SecondaryWithDefaultsNoPrimary {
+    constructor(x: Int) {}
+    constructor(s: String = "") {}
+}
+
+// Bad classes
+
+class NoNoArgConstructor(val s: String) {
+    constructor(x: Int) : this(x.toString())
+}
+class NoArgAndDefault() {
+    constructor(x: Int = 0) : this()
+}
+class DefaultPrimaryAndDefaultSecondary(val s: String = "") {
+    constructor(x: Int = 0) : this(x.toString())
+}
+class SeveralDefaultSecondaries {
+    constructor(x: Int = 0) {}
+    constructor(s: String = "") {}
+    constructor(d: Double = 3.14) {}
+}
+class PrivateConstructor private constructor()
+object Object
+
+// -----------
+
+inline fun <reified T : Any> test() {
+    val instance = T::class.createInstance()
+    assertTrue(instance is T)
+}
+
+inline fun <reified T : Any> testFail() {
+    try {
+        T::class.createInstance()
+        fail("createInstance should have failed on ${T::class}")
+    } catch (e: Exception) {
+        // OK
+    }
+}
+
+fun box(): String {
+    test<Any>()
+    test<Simple>()
+    test<PrimaryWithDefaults>()
+    test<Secondary>()
+    test<SecondaryWithDefaults>()
+    test<SecondaryWithDefaultsNoPrimary>()
+
+    testFail<NoNoArgConstructor>()
+    testFail<NoArgAndDefault>()
+    testFail<DefaultPrimaryAndDefaultSecondary>()
+    testFail<SeveralDefaultSecondaries>()
+    testFail<PrivateConstructor>()
+    testFail<Object>()
+
+    return "OK"
+}
diff --git a/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/codegen/BlackBoxCodegenTestGenerated.java b/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/codegen/BlackBoxCodegenTestGenerated.java
index 8820408fca1..ff3cc0b8826 100644
--- a/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/codegen/BlackBoxCodegenTestGenerated.java
+++ b/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/codegen/BlackBoxCodegenTestGenerated.java
@@ -11892,6 +11892,12 @@ public class BlackBoxCodegenTestGenerated extends AbstractBlackBoxCodegenTest {
                 doTest(fileName);
             }
 
+            @TestMetadata("createInstance.kt")
+            public void testCreateInstance() throws Exception {
+                String fileName = KotlinTestUtils.navigationMetadata("compiler/testData/codegen/box/reflection/classes/createInstance.kt");
+                doTest(fileName);
+            }
+
             @TestMetadata("declaredMembers.kt")
             public void testDeclaredMembers() throws Exception {
                 String fileName = KotlinTestUtils.navigationMetadata("compiler/testData/codegen/box/reflection/classes/declaredMembers.kt");
diff --git a/core/reflection.jvm/src/kotlin/reflect/KClasses.kt b/core/reflection.jvm/src/kotlin/reflect/KClasses.kt
index 4053d531907..7abad005ccd 100644
--- a/core/reflection.jvm/src/kotlin/reflect/KClasses.kt
+++ b/core/reflection.jvm/src/kotlin/reflect/KClasses.kt
@@ -272,3 +272,16 @@ fun <T : Any> KClass<T>.cast(value: Any?): T {
 fun <T : Any> KClass<T>.safeCast(value: Any?): T? {
     return if (isInstance(value)) value as T else null
 }
+
+
+/**
+ * Creates a new instance of the class, calling a constructor which either has no parameters or all parameters of which are optional
+ * (see [KParameter.isOptional]). If there are no or many such constructors, an exception is thrown.
+ */
+fun <T : Any> KClass<T>.createInstance(): T {
+    // TODO: throw a meaningful exception
+    val noArgsConstructor = constructors.singleOrNull { it.parameters.all(KParameter::isOptional) }
+                            ?: throw IllegalArgumentException("Class should have a single no-arg constructor: $this")
+
+    return noArgsConstructor.callBy(emptyMap())
+}