diff --git a/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module b/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
index e1bb9e4..6d4fea6 100644
--- a/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
+++ b/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
@@ -669,10 +669,8 @@ function commerce_cart_block_view($delta) {
   if ($delta == 'cart') {
     // First check to ensure there are products in the shopping cart.
     if ($order = commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid)) {
-      $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
-
       // If there are one or more products in the cart...
-      if (commerce_line_items_quantity($wrapper->commerce_line_items, commerce_product_line_item_types()) > 0) {
+      if (!commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order)) {
 
         // Build the variables array to send to the cart block template.
         $variables = array(
@@ -693,7 +691,34 @@ function commerce_cart_block_view($delta) {
   }
 }
 
- /**
+/**
+ * Checks if the current user has items in their cart.
+ *
+ * @param $order
+ *   Optional: The cart order to check.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   Boolean indicating whether or not the shopping cart is empty.
+ */
+function commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order = NULL) {
+  global $user;
+
+  $is_empty = TRUE;
+
+  $order = (is_null($order)) ? commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid) : $order;
+  if ($order) {
+    $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
+
+    // If cart order has 0 line items it is empty.
+    $is_empty = commerce_line_items_quantity($wrapper->commerce_line_items, commerce_product_line_item_types()) === 0;
+
+    drupal_alter('commerce_cart_is_cart_empty', $is_empty, $order);
+  }
+
+  return $is_empty;
+}
+
+/**
  * Checks if a cart order should be refreshed based on the shopping cart refresh
  * settings on the order settings form.
  *
diff --git a/modules/cart/includes/commerce_cart.pages.inc b/modules/cart/includes/commerce_cart.pages.inc
index 5466bae..f1309d7 100644
--- a/modules/cart/includes/commerce_cart.pages.inc
+++ b/modules/cart/includes/commerce_cart.pages.inc
@@ -13,14 +13,12 @@ function commerce_cart_checkout_router() {
   global $user;
 
   // Load the shopping cart order.
-  if ($order = commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid)) {
-    $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
-  }
+  $order = commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid);
 
   // If no shopping cart order could be found, redirect away from checkout.
   // TODO: Redirect to the cart page instead which would then appear as an
   // empty shopping cart page.
-  if (empty($order) || commerce_line_items_quantity($wrapper->commerce_line_items, commerce_product_line_item_types()) == 0) {
+  if (empty($order) || commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order)) {
     drupal_set_message(t('Add some items to your cart and then try checking out.'));
     drupal_goto(variable_get('commerce_checkout_empty_redirect', ''));
   }
@@ -36,10 +34,9 @@ function commerce_cart_view() {
 
   // First check to make sure we have a valid order.
   if ($order = commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid)) {
-    $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
 
     // Only show the cart form if we found product line items.
-    if (commerce_line_items_quantity($wrapper->commerce_line_items, commerce_product_line_item_types()) > 0) {
+    if (!commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order)) {
 
       // Add the form for editing the cart contents.
       $content = commerce_embed_view('commerce_cart_form', 'default', array($order->order_id), 'cart');
diff --git a/modules/checkout/commerce_checkout.api.php b/modules/checkout/commerce_checkout.api.php
index 1e0d1a7..66c405d 100644
--- a/modules/checkout/commerce_checkout.api.php
+++ b/modules/checkout/commerce_checkout.api.php
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ function hook_commerce_checkout_order_can_checkout($order) {
   // If there are no line items on the order, redirect away.
   $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
 
-  if (commerce_line_items_quantity($wrapper->commerce_line_items, commerce_product_line_item_types()) > 0) {
+  if (!commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order)) {
     return TRUE;
   }
 }
diff --git a/modules/product_reference/commerce_product_reference.module b/modules/product_reference/commerce_product_reference.module
index 23cef3e..cea3f9f 100644
--- a/modules/product_reference/commerce_product_reference.module
+++ b/modules/product_reference/commerce_product_reference.module
@@ -1468,9 +1468,7 @@ function commerce_product_line_item_types() {
 function commerce_product_reference_commerce_checkout_order_can_checkout($order) {
   // Allow orders with one or more product line items to proceed to checkout.
   // If there are no line items on the order, redirect away.
-  $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
-
-  if (commerce_line_items_quantity($wrapper->commerce_line_items, commerce_product_line_item_types()) > 0) {
+  if (!commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order)) {
     return TRUE;
   }
 }