diff --git a/elasticsearch/helpers.py b/elasticsearch/helpers.py
index 0a9a1720..505c8cdb 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/helpers.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/helpers.py
@@ -26,3 +26,18 @@ def bulk_index(client, docs, chunk_size=500, **kwargs):
                 success.append(item)
             else:
                 failed.append(item)
+
+def scan(client, query=None, scroll='5m', **kwargs):
+    # initial search to 
+    resp = client.search(body=query, search_type='scan', scroll=scroll, **kwargs)
+
+    scroll_id = resp['_scroll_id']
+
+    while True:
+        resp = client.scroll(scroll_id, scroll=scroll)
+        if not resp['hits']['hits']:
+            break
+        for hit in resp['hits']['hits']:
+            yield hit
+        scroll_id = resp['_scroll_id']
+
diff --git a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_helpers.py b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_helpers.py
index fb3fa516..951045e9 100644
--- a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_helpers.py
+++ b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_helpers.py
@@ -11,3 +11,16 @@ class TestBulkIndex(ElasticTestCase):
         self.assertFalse(failed)
         self.assertEquals(len(docs), self.client.count(index='test-index', doc_type='answers')['count'])
 
+class TestScan(ElasticTestCase):
+    def test_all_documents_are_read(self):
+        bulk = []
+        for x in range(100):
+            bulk.append({"index": {"_index": "test_index", "_type": "answers", "_id": x}})
+            bulk.append({"answer": x, "correct": x == 42})
+        self.client.bulk(bulk, refresh=True)
+
+        docs = list(helpers.scan(self.client, index="test_index", doc_type="answers", size=2))
+
+        self.assertEquals(100, len(docs))
+        self.assertEquals(set(map(str, range(100))), set(d['_id'] for d in docs))
+        self.assertEquals(set(range(100)), set(d['_source']['answer'] for d in docs))