diff --git a/axum/CHANGELOG.md b/axum/CHANGELOG.md
index ee930f5315..49339649fe 100644
--- a/axum/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/axum/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 # Unreleased
 
 - **added:** Implement `OptionalFromRequest` for `Json` ([#3142])
+- **added:** Implement `OptionalFromRequest` for `Extension` ([#3157])
 
 [#3142]: https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/pull/3142
+[#3157]: https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/pull/3157
 
 # 0.8.0
 
diff --git a/axum/src/extension.rs b/axum/src/extension.rs
index f78f227a52..da3b7b0ddc 100644
--- a/axum/src/extension.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extension.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 use crate::{extract::rejection::*, response::IntoResponseParts};
+use axum_core::extract::OptionalFromRequestParts;
 use axum_core::{
     extract::FromRequestParts,
     response::{IntoResponse, Response, ResponseParts},
 };
-use http::{request::Parts, Request};
+use http::{request::Parts, Extensions, Request};
 use std::{
     convert::Infallible,
     task::{Context, Poll},
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ use tower_service::Service;
 /// ```
 ///
 /// If the extension is missing it will reject the request with a `500 Internal
-/// Server Error` response.
+/// Server Error` response. Alternatively, you can use `Option<Extension<T>>` to
+/// make the extension extractor optional.
 ///
 /// # As response
 ///
@@ -69,6 +71,15 @@ use tower_service::Service;
 #[must_use]
 pub struct Extension<T>(pub T);
 
+impl<T> Extension<T>
+where
+    T: Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
+{
+    fn from_extensions(extensions: &Extensions) -> Option<Self> {
+        extensions.get::<T>().cloned().map(Extension)
+    }
+}
+
 impl<T, S> FromRequestParts<S> for Extension<T>
 where
     T: Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
@@ -77,17 +88,27 @@ where
     type Rejection = ExtensionRejection;
 
     async fn from_request_parts(req: &mut Parts, _state: &S) -> Result<Self, Self::Rejection> {
-        let value = req
-            .extensions
-            .get::<T>()
-            .ok_or_else(|| {
-                MissingExtension::from_err(format!(
-                    "Extension of type `{}` was not found. Perhaps you forgot to add it? See `axum::Extension`.",
-                    std::any::type_name::<T>()
-                ))
-            }).cloned()?;
-
-        Ok(Extension(value))
+        Ok(Self::from_extensions(&req.extensions).ok_or_else(|| {
+            MissingExtension::from_err(format!(
+                "Extension of type `{}` was not found. Perhaps you forgot to add it? See `axum::Extension`.",
+                std::any::type_name::<T>()
+            ))
+        })?)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T, S> OptionalFromRequestParts<S> for Extension<T>
+where
+    T: Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    S: Send + Sync,
+{
+    type Rejection = Infallible;
+
+    async fn from_request_parts(
+        req: &mut Parts,
+        _state: &S,
+    ) -> Result<Option<Self>, Self::Rejection> {
+        Ok(Self::from_extensions(&req.extensions))
     }
 }
 
@@ -161,3 +182,62 @@ where
         self.inner.call(req)
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::routing::get;
+    use crate::test_helpers::TestClient;
+    use crate::Router;
+    use http::StatusCode;
+
+    #[derive(Clone)]
+    struct Foo(String);
+
+    #[derive(Clone)]
+    struct Bar(String);
+
+    #[crate::test]
+    async fn extension_extractor() {
+        async fn requires_foo(Extension(foo): Extension<Foo>) -> String {
+            foo.0
+        }
+
+        async fn optional_foo(extension: Option<Extension<Foo>>) -> String {
+            extension.map(|foo| foo.0 .0).unwrap_or("none".to_owned())
+        }
+
+        async fn requires_bar(Extension(bar): Extension<Bar>) -> String {
+            bar.0
+        }
+
+        async fn optional_bar(extension: Option<Extension<Bar>>) -> String {
+            extension.map(|bar| bar.0 .0).unwrap_or("none".to_owned())
+        }
+
+        let app = Router::new()
+            .route("/requires_foo", get(requires_foo))
+            .route("/optional_foo", get(optional_foo))
+            .route("/requires_bar", get(requires_bar))
+            .route("/optional_bar", get(optional_bar))
+            .layer(Extension(Foo("foo".to_owned())));
+
+        let client = TestClient::new(app);
+
+        let response = client.get("/requires_foo").await;
+        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+        assert_eq!(response.text().await, "foo");
+
+        let response = client.get("/optional_foo").await;
+        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+        assert_eq!(response.text().await, "foo");
+
+        let response = client.get("/requires_bar").await;
+        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
+        assert_eq!(response.text().await, "Missing request extension: Extension of type `axum::extension::tests::Bar` was not found. Perhaps you forgot to add it? See `axum::Extension`.");
+
+        let response = client.get("/optional_bar").await;
+        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+        assert_eq!(response.text().await, "none");
+    }
+}