diff --git a/lib/puppet/functions/scanf.rb b/lib/puppet/functions/scanf.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f107c68a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/puppet/functions/scanf.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Scans a string and returns an array of one or more converted values as directed by a given format string.args
+# See the documenation of Ruby's String::scanf method for details about the supported formats (which
+# are similar but not identical to the formats used in Puppet's `sprintf` function.
+#
+# This function takes two mandatory arguments: the first is the String to convert, and the second
+# the format String. A parameterized block may optionally be given, which is called with the result
+# that is produced by scanf if no block is present, the result of the block is then returned by
+# the function.
+#
+# The result of the scan is an Array, with each sucessfully scanned and transformed value.args The scanning
+# stops if a scan is unsuccesful and the scanned result up to that point is returned. If there was no
+# succesful scan at all, the result is an empty Array. The optional code block is typically used to
+# assert that the scan was succesful, and either produce the same input, or perform unwrapping of
+# the result
+#
+# @example scanning an integer in string form (result is an array with
+#   integer, or empty if  unsuccessful)
+#    "42".scanf("%i")
+#
+# @example scanning and processing resulting array to assert result and unwrap
+#
+#     "42".scanf("%i") |$x| {
+#       unless $x[0] =~ Integer {
+#         fail "Expected a well formed integer value, got '$x[0]'"
+#       }
+#       $x[0]
+#     }
+#
+# @since 3.7.4
+Puppet::Functions.create_function(:scanf) do
+  require 'scanf'
+
+  dispatch :scanf do
+    param 'String', 'data'
+    param 'String', 'format'
+    optional_block_param
+  end
+
+  def scanf(data, format, block=nil)
+    result = data.scanf(format)
+    if !block.nil?
+      result = block.call({}, result)
+    end
+    result
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/puppet/parser/functions/scanf.rb b/lib/puppet/parser/functions/scanf.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c9677c86b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/puppet/parser/functions/scanf.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+Puppet::Parser::Functions::newfunction(
+  :scanf,
+  :type => :rvalue,
+  :arity => 2,
+  :doc => <<-DOC
+Scans a string and returns an array of one or more converted values as directed by a given format string.args
+See the documenation of Ruby's String::scanf method for details about the supported formats (which
+are similar but not identical to the formats used in Puppet's `sprintf` function.
+
+This function takes two mandatory arguments: the first is the String to convert, and the second
+the format String. A parameterized block may optionally be given, which is called with the result
+that is produced by scanf if no block is present, the result of the block is then returned by
+the function.
+
+The result of the scan is an Array, with each sucessfully scanned and transformed value.args The scanning
+stops if a scan is unsuccesful and the scanned result up to that point is returned. If there was no
+succesful scan at all, the result is an empty Array. The optional code block is typically used to
+assert that the scan was succesful, and either produce the same input, or perform unwrapping of
+the result
+
+
+      "42".scanf("%i")
+      "42".scanf("%i") |$x| {
+        unless $x[0] =~ Integer {
+          fail "Expected a well formed integer value, got '$x[0]'"
+        }
+        $x[0]
+      }
+
+- since 3.7.4
+- note requires `parser = future`
+DOC
+) do |args|
+  function_fail(["scanf() is only available when parser/evaluator future is in effect"])
+end
diff --git a/spec/unit/functions/scanf_spec.rb b/spec/unit/functions/scanf_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99b4d1cb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/unit/functions/scanf_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+require 'puppet_spec/compiler'
+require 'matchers/resource'
+
+describe 'the scanf function' do
+  include PuppetSpec::Compiler
+  include Matchers::Resource
+
+  before :each do
+    Puppet[:parser] = 'future'
+  end
+
+  it 'scans a value and returns an array' do
+    expect(compile_to_catalog("$x = '42'.scanf('%i')[0] + 1; notify { \"test$x\": }")).to have_resource('Notify[test43]')
+  end
+
+  it 'scans a value and returns result of a code block' do
+    expect(compile_to_catalog("$x = '42'.scanf('%i')|$x|{$x[0]} + 1; notify { \"test$x\": }")).to have_resource('Notify[test43]')
+  end
+
+  it 'returns empty array if nothing was scanned' do
+    expect(compile_to_catalog("$x = 'no'.scanf('%i')[0]; notify { \"test${x}test\": }")).to have_resource('Notify[testtest]')
+  end
+
+  it 'produces result up to first unsuccessful scan' do
+    expect(compile_to_catalog("$x = '42 no'.scanf('%i'); notify { \"test${x[0]}${x[1]}test\": }")).to have_resource('Notify[test42test]')
+  end
+
+
+  it 'errors when not given enough arguments' do
+    expect do
+      compile_to_catalog("'42'.scanf()")
+    end.to raise_error(/.*expected.*scanf\(String data, String format, Callable block \{0,1\}\)/m)
+  end
+end