diff --git a/kernel/common/string.rb b/kernel/common/string.rb
index fb252edbe3..481bbf1363 100644
--- a/kernel/common/string.rb
+++ b/kernel/common/string.rb
@@ -1910,6 +1910,57 @@ def match(pattern, pos=0)
     result
   end
 
+  # Removes invalid byte sequences from a String, available since Ruby 2.1.
+  def scrub(replace = nil)
+    output = ''
+    input  = dup
+
+    # The default replacement character is the "Unicode replacement" character.
+    # (U+FFFD).
+    if !replace and !block_given?
+      replace = "\xEF\xBF\xBD".force_encoding("UTF-8")
+        .encode(self.encoding, :undef => :replace, :replace => '?')
+    end
+
+    if replace
+      unless replace.is_a?(String)
+        raise(
+          TypeError,
+          "no implicit conversion of #{replace.class} into String"
+        )
+      end
+
+      unless replace.valid_encoding?
+        raise(
+          ArgumentError,
+          "replacement must be a valid byte sequence '#{replace.inspect}'"
+        )
+      end
+
+      replace = replace.force_encoding(Encoding::BINARY)
+    end
+
+    converter = Encoding::Converter.new(input.encoding, Encoding::BINARY)
+
+    while input.length > 0
+      result = converter.primitive_convert(input, output, output.length)
+
+      if result == :finished
+        break
+      elsif result == :undefined_conversion
+        output << converter.primitive_errinfo[3]
+      else
+        if block_given?
+          output << yield(converter.primitive_errinfo[3])
+        else
+          output << replace
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    return output.force_encoding(encoding)
+  end
+
   def []=(index, count_or_replacement, replacement=undefined)
     if undefined.equal?(replacement)
       replacement = count_or_replacement
diff --git a/spec/ruby/core/string/scrub_spec.rb b/spec/ruby/core/string/scrub_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..00901f043e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/ruby/core/string/scrub_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
+require File.expand_path("../../../spec_helper", __FILE__)
+
+ruby_version_is "2.1" do
+  describe "String#scrub with a default replacement" do
+    it "returns self for valid strings" do
+      input = "foo"
+
+      input.scrub.should == input
+    end
+
+    it "replaces invalid byte sequences" do
+      "abc\u3042\x81".scrub.should == "abc\u3042\uFFFD"
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "String#scrub with a custom replacement" do
+    it "returns self for valid strings" do
+      input = "foo"
+
+      input.scrub("*").should == input
+    end
+
+    it "replaces invalid byte sequences" do
+      "abc\u3042\x81".scrub("*").should == "abc\u3042*"
+    end
+
+    it "replaces groups of sequences together with a single replacement" do
+      "\xE3\x80".scrub("*").should == "*"
+    end
+
+    it "raises ArgumentError for replacements with an invalid encoding" do
+      block = lambda { "foo".scrub("\xE4") }
+
+      block.should raise_error(ArgumentError)
+    end
+
+    it "raises TypeError when a non String replacement is given" do
+      block = lambda { "foo".scrub(1) }
+
+      block.should raise_error(TypeError)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "String#scrub with a block" do
+    it "returns self for valid strings" do
+      input = "foo"
+
+      input.scrub { |b| "*" }.should == input
+    end
+
+    it "replaces invalid byte sequences" do
+      replaced = "abc\u3042\xE3\x80".scrub { |b| "<#{b.unpack("H*")[0]}>" }
+
+      replaced.should == "abc\u3042<e380>"
+    end
+  end
+end