Is this true Andi?

Does this also happen in zend.ze1_compatibility_mode? This was changed for non-compatibility mode with the change of moving objects to handles. As far as the new OO model is concerned objects are always handles, they are always true and they aren't empty. This is due to objects being an entity of their own now and not just a different syntax for accessing an array like structure. Just an example of why empty() might not make sense with objects is how you'd expect it to work with private/public/protected members.

No, I'm not using compatibility mode. If this is wanted 
behaviour it should least be mentioned in the 
documentation. I still don't understand why empty() have 
to behave that way. Since that makes perfectly good 
function for a good purpose go to waste on objects. Is 
there going to be some function for checking empty 
objects(no methods or properties) or do I need to 
implement that myself?

I find this bug pretty irritating too. In my opinion 
empty() shouldn't behave this way, or at least like Jorma 
said, it should be mentioned in docs or some other way to 
check if objects are empty.

<?php
function empty_object($obj){
  return count((array)$obj)==0;
}
class foo{var $a=1;}
$std=new stdclass;
$foo=new foo;
var_dump(empty_object($obj), empty_object($foo));
?>
bool(true)
bool(false)

"As far as the new OO model is concerned objects are always handles, they are always true and they aren't empty." (c) Andi

Making it a documentation problem then.

It's covered under http://php.net/migration5

Perhaps this deserves a note on the empty() page, perhaps not.

I think that the empty() page deserves a little note about this.
Can you please add this, Aidan? :)

This bug has been fixed in the documentation's XML sources. Since the
online and downloadable versions of the documentation need some time
to get updated, we would like to ask you to be a bit patient.

Thank you for the report, and for helping us make our documentation better.

"In PHP 4 and earlier also objects with empty properties are considered empty while not in PHP 5."