diff --git a/docs/api_core.rst b/docs/api_core.rst
index e6e88bce..cd51dcd9 100644
--- a/docs/api_core.rst
+++ b/docs/api_core.rst
@@ -1262,6 +1262,20 @@ Casting
    implementation may also attempt *implicit conversions* to perform the cast.
 
    The function raises a :cpp:type:`cast_error` when the conversion fails.
+   See :cpp:func:`try_cast()` for an alternative that never raises.
+
+.. cpp:function:: template <typename T, typename Derived> bool try_cast(const detail::api<Derived> &value, T &out, bool convert = true) noexcept
+
+   Convert the Python object `value` (typically a :cpp:class:`handle` or a
+   :cpp:class:`object` subclass) into a C++ object of type `T`, and store it
+   in the output parameter `out`.
+
+   When the `convert` argument is set to ``true`` (the default), the
+   implementation may also attempt *implicit conversions* to perform the cast.
+
+   The function returns `false` when the conversion fails. In this case, the
+   `out` parameter is left untouched. See :cpp:func:`cast()` for an alternative
+   that instead raises an exception in this case.
 
 .. cpp:function:: template <typename T> object cast(T &&value, rv_policy policy = rv_policy::automatic_reference)
 
diff --git a/include/nanobind/nb_cast.h b/include/nanobind/nb_cast.h
index 737146d7..7bfd16b5 100644
--- a/include/nanobind/nb_cast.h
+++ b/include/nanobind/nb_cast.h
@@ -347,6 +347,29 @@ struct type_caster : type_caster_base<Type> { };
 
 NAMESPACE_END(detail)
 
+template <typename T, typename Derived>
+bool try_cast(const detail::api<Derived> &value, T &out, bool convert = true) noexcept {
+    using Caster = detail::make_caster<T>;
+    using Output = typename Caster::template Cast<T>;
+
+    static_assert(!std::is_same_v<const char *, T>,
+                  "nanobind::try_cast(): cannot return a reference to a temporary.");
+
+    Caster caster;
+    if (caster.from_python(value.derived().ptr(),
+                           convert ? (uint8_t) detail::cast_flags::convert
+                                   : (uint8_t) 0, nullptr)) {
+        if constexpr (Caster::IsClass)
+            out = caster.operator Output();
+        else
+            out = std::move(caster.operator Output&&());
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
 template <typename T, typename Derived>
 T cast(const detail::api<Derived> &value, bool convert = true) {
     if constexpr (std::is_same_v<T, void>) {
diff --git a/tests/test_classes.cpp b/tests/test_classes.cpp
index 8cb66e5a..7bd5c0e2 100644
--- a/tests/test_classes.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_classes.cpp
@@ -488,4 +488,29 @@ NB_MODULE(test_classes_ext, m) {
     m.def("factory_2", []() { return (Base *) new AnotherSubclass(); });
 
     m.def("check_shared", [](Shared *) { });
+
+    m.def("try_cast_1", [](nb::handle h) {
+        Struct s;
+        bool rv = nb::try_cast<Struct>(h, s);
+        return std::make_pair(rv, std::move(s));
+    });
+
+    m.def("try_cast_2", [](nb::handle h) {
+        Struct s;
+        Struct &s2 = s;
+        bool rv = nb::try_cast<Struct &>(h, s2);
+        return std::make_pair(rv, std::move(s2));
+    });
+
+    m.def("try_cast_3", [](nb::handle h) {
+        Struct *sp = nullptr;
+        bool rv = nb::try_cast<Struct *>(h, sp);
+        return std::make_pair(rv, sp);
+    }, nb::rv_policy::none);
+
+    m.def("try_cast_4", [](nb::handle h) {
+        int i = 0;
+        bool rv = nb::try_cast<int>(h, i);
+        return std::make_pair(rv, i);
+    });
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_classes.py b/tests/test_classes.py
index 071e1e5e..a751b96e 100644
--- a/tests/test_classes.py
+++ b/tests/test_classes.py
@@ -666,3 +666,47 @@ def test38_pickle(clean):
         unpickled=1,
         destructed=2
     )
+
+def test39_try_cast(clean):
+    s = t.Struct(123)
+
+    assert_stats(value_constructed=1)
+    t.reset()
+
+    rv, s2 = t.try_cast_1(s)
+    assert rv is True and s2 is not s and s.value() == 123 and s2.value() == 123
+    del s2
+    assert_stats(default_constructed=1, move_constructed=2, copy_assigned=1, destructed=3)
+    t.reset()
+
+    rv, s2 = t.try_cast_2(s)
+    assert rv is True and s2 is not s and s.value() == 123 and s2.value() == 123
+    del s2
+    assert_stats(default_constructed=1, move_constructed=2, copy_assigned=1, destructed=3)
+    t.reset()
+
+    rv, s2 = t.try_cast_3(s)
+    assert rv is True and s2 is s and s.value() == 123
+    del s2
+    assert_stats()
+    t.reset()
+
+    rv, s2 = t.try_cast_2(1)
+    assert rv is False
+    del s2
+    assert_stats(default_constructed=1, move_constructed=2, destructed=3)
+    t.reset()
+
+    rv, s2 = t.try_cast_3(1)
+    assert rv is False and s2 is None
+    del s2
+    assert_stats()
+    t.reset()
+
+    rv, s2 = t.try_cast_4(s)
+    assert rv is False and s2 == 0
+    rv, s2 = t.try_cast_4(123)
+    assert rv is True and s2 is 123
+    del s, s2
+
+    assert_stats(destructed=1)