diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index a28490a01..5848aa26b 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    kiba-extend (1.4.0)
+    kiba-extend (1.5.0)
       activesupport
       kiba (>= 3.0.0)
       kiba-common (>= 0.9.0)
diff --git a/lib/kiba/extend/transforms/merge.rb b/lib/kiba/extend/transforms/merge.rb
index fd6f55dc9..0a8933847 100644
--- a/lib/kiba/extend/transforms/merge.rb
+++ b/lib/kiba/extend/transforms/merge.rb
@@ -79,7 +79,37 @@ def process(row)
             end
             row
           end
-        end	
+        end
+
+        class MultivalueConstant
+          def initialize(on_field:, target:, value:, sep:, placeholder:)
+            @on_field = on_field
+            @target = target
+            @value = value
+            @sep = sep
+            @placeholder = placeholder
+          end
+
+          def process(row)
+            field_val = row.fetch(@on_field, nil)
+            if field_val.blank?
+              row[@target] = @placeholder
+              return row
+            end
+
+            merge_vals = []
+            field_val.split(@sep, -1).each do |field_val|
+              if field_val == @placeholder || field_val.blank?
+                merge_vals << @placeholder
+              else
+                merge_vals << @value
+              end
+            end
+
+            row[@target] = merge_vals.join(@sep)
+            row
+          end
+        end
         
         # used when lookup may return an array of rows from which values should be merged
         #  into the target, AND THE TARGET IS MULTIVALUED
diff --git a/lib/kiba/extend/version.rb b/lib/kiba/extend/version.rb
index ab3206370..1e3c0509a 100644
--- a/lib/kiba/extend/version.rb
+++ b/lib/kiba/extend/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 module Kiba
   module Extend
-    VERSION = "1.4.1"
+    VERSION = "1.5.0"
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/kiba/extend/transforms/merge_spec.rb b/spec/kiba/extend/transforms/merge_spec.rb
index 6e5166e2b..e2cf39347 100644
--- a/spec/kiba/extend/transforms/merge_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/kiba/extend/transforms/merge_spec.rb
@@ -157,6 +157,44 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'MultivalueConstant' do
+    test_csv = 'tmp/test.csv'
+    rows = [
+      ['name'],
+      ['Weddy'],
+      ['NULL'],
+      [''],
+      [nil],
+      ['Earlybird;Divebomber'],
+      [';Niblet'],
+      ['Hunter;'],
+      ['NULL;Earhart']
+    ]
+    before do
+      generate_csv(test_csv, rows)
+    end
+    it 'adds specified value to new field once per value in specified field' do
+      expected = [
+        { name: 'Weddy', species: 'guinea fowl' },
+        { name: 'NULL', species: 'NULL' },
+        { name: '', species: 'NULL' },
+        { name: nil, species: 'NULL' },
+        { name: 'Earlybird;Divebomber', species: 'guinea fowl;guinea fowl' },
+        { name: ';Niblet', species: 'NULL;guinea fowl' },
+        { name: 'Hunter;', species: 'guinea fowl;NULL' },
+        { name: 'NULL;Earhart', species: 'NULL;guinea fowl' }
+      ]
+      result = execute_job(filename: test_csv,
+                           xform: Merge::MultivalueConstant,
+                           xformopt: { on_field: :name,
+                                      target: :species,
+                                      value: 'guinea fowl',
+                                      sep: ';',
+                                      placeholder: 'NULL'})
+    expect(result).to eq(expected)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'MultiRowLookup' do
     test_csv = 'tmp/test.csv'
     rows = [