diff --git a/cores/esp8266/WString.h b/cores/esp8266/WString.h
index 48b96f08f..558d1da85 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/WString.h
+++ b/cores/esp8266/WString.h
@@ -82,6 +82,12 @@ class String {
                 return 0;
             }
         }
+        inline void clear(void) {
+            setLen(0);
+        }
+        inline bool isEmpty(void) const {
+            return length() == 0;
+        }
 
         // creates a copy of the assigned value.  if the value is null or
         // invalid, or if the memory allocation fails, the string will be