diff --git a/update_manager/variable.h b/update_manager/variable.h
index 6c7d350..9ac7dae 100644
--- a/update_manager/variable.h
+++ b/update_manager/variable.h
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@
   // variable. In other case, it returns 0.
   base::TimeDelta GetPollInterval() const { return poll_interval_; }
 
+  // Returns true, if the value for this variable is expected to be missing
+  // sometimes so we can avoid printing confusing error logs.
+  bool IsMissingOk() const { return missing_ok_; }
+
   // Adds and removes observers for value changes on the variable. This only
   // works for kVariableAsync variables since the other modes don't track value
   // changes. Adding the same observer twice has no effect.
@@ -115,6 +119,8 @@
     poll_interval_ = poll_interval;
   }
 
+  void SetMissingOk() { missing_ok_ = true; }
+
   // Calls ValueChanged on all the observers.
   void NotifyValueChanged() {
     // Fire all the observer methods from the main loop as single call. In order
@@ -140,7 +146,8 @@
       : name_(name),
         mode_(mode),
         poll_interval_(mode == kVariableModePoll ? poll_interval
-                                                 : base::TimeDelta()) {}
+                                                 : base::TimeDelta()),
+        missing_ok_(false) {}
 
   void OnValueChangedNotification() {
     // A ValueChanged() method can change the list of observers, for example
@@ -174,6 +181,9 @@
   // The list of value changes observers.
   std::list<BaseVariable::ObserverInterface*> observer_list_;
 
+  // Defines whether this variable is expected to have no value.
+  bool missing_ok_;
+
   DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(BaseVariable);
 };