diff --git a/Lib/test/test_struct.py b/Lib/test/test_struct.py
index be0047589cb465c..1a068cb46bf40ec 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_struct.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_struct.py
@@ -579,6 +579,14 @@ def test__sizeof__(self):
         self.check_sizeof('0c', 0)
 
 
+    def test_issue35714(self):
+        # Embedded null characters should not be allowed in format strings.
+        for s in '\0', '2\0i', b'\0':
+            with self.assertRaisesRegex(struct.error,
+                                        'embedded null character'):
+                struct.calcsize(s)
+
+
 class UnpackIteratorTest(unittest.TestCase):
     """
     Tests for iterative unpacking (struct.Struct.iter_unpack).
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-10-25-23-45-49.bpo-35714.fw3xb7.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-10-25-23-45-49.bpo-35714.fw3xb7.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000000..39102065ca7b516
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-10-25-23-45-49.bpo-35714.fw3xb7.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+:exc:`struct.error` is now raised if there is a null character in a
+:mod:`struct` format string.
diff --git a/Modules/_struct.c b/Modules/_struct.c
index cd3fa2d150673be..2e9ff9c98987ad3 100644
--- a/Modules/_struct.c
+++ b/Modules/_struct.c
@@ -1295,6 +1295,11 @@ prepare_s(PyStructObject *self)
     size_t ncodes;
 
     fmt = PyBytes_AS_STRING(self->s_format);
+    if (strlen(fmt) != (size_t)PyBytes_GET_SIZE(self->s_format)) {
+        PyErr_SetString(_structmodulestate_global->StructError,
+                        "embedded null character");
+        return -1;
+    }
 
     f = whichtable(&fmt);