diff --git a/include/gmock/gmock-actions.h b/include/gmock/gmock-actions.h
index f92e479f..46b7bf9d 100644
--- a/include/gmock/gmock-actions.h
+++ b/include/gmock/gmock-actions.h
@@ -583,12 +583,18 @@ class ReturnAction {
 // Implements the ReturnNull() action.
 class ReturnNullAction {
  public:
-  // Allows ReturnNull() to be used in any pointer-returning function.
+  // Allows ReturnNull() to be used in any pointer-returning function. In C++11
+  // this is enforced by returning nullptr, and in non-C++11 by asserting a
+  // pointer type on compile time.
   template <typename Result, typename ArgumentTuple>
   static Result Perform(const ArgumentTuple&) {
+#if GTEST_LANG_CXX11
+    return nullptr;
+#else
     GTEST_COMPILE_ASSERT_(internal::is_pointer<Result>::value,
                           ReturnNull_can_be_used_to_return_a_pointer_only);
     return NULL;
+#endif  // GTEST_LANG_CXX11
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/test/gmock-actions_test.cc b/test/gmock-actions_test.cc
index 8089a81d..a0551941 100644
--- a/test/gmock-actions_test.cc
+++ b/test/gmock-actions_test.cc
@@ -604,6 +604,18 @@ TEST(ReturnNullTest, WorksInPointerReturningFunction) {
   EXPECT_TRUE(a2.Perform(make_tuple(true)) == NULL);
 }
 
+#if GTEST_HAS_STD_UNIQUE_PTR_
+// Tests that ReturnNull() returns NULL for shared_ptr and unique_ptr returning
+// functions.
+TEST(ReturnNullTest, WorksInSmartPointerReturningFunction) {
+  const Action<std::unique_ptr<const int>()> a1 = ReturnNull();
+  EXPECT_TRUE(a1.Perform(make_tuple()) == nullptr);
+
+  const Action<std::shared_ptr<int>(std::string)> a2 = ReturnNull();
+  EXPECT_TRUE(a2.Perform(make_tuple("foo")) == nullptr);
+}
+#endif  // GTEST_HAS_STD_UNIQUE_PTR_
+
 // Tests that ReturnRef(v) works for reference types.
 TEST(ReturnRefTest, WorksForReference) {
   const int n = 0;