diff --git a/src/language/__tests__/schema-kitchen-sink.graphql b/src/language/__tests__/schema-kitchen-sink.graphql
index 1c7b5c3b30..aebc5a7d54 100644
--- a/src/language/__tests__/schema-kitchen-sink.graphql
+++ b/src/language/__tests__/schema-kitchen-sink.graphql
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ scalar CustomScalar
 
 scalar AnnotatedScalar @onScalar
 
+scalar StringEncodedCustomScalar as String
+
 extend scalar CustomScalar @onScalar
 
 enum Site {
diff --git a/src/language/__tests__/schema-parser-test.js b/src/language/__tests__/schema-parser-test.js
index 369ac9f02e..a4f23bc58c 100644
--- a/src/language/__tests__/schema-parser-test.js
+++ b/src/language/__tests__/schema-parser-test.js
@@ -756,6 +756,7 @@ type Hello {
           kind: 'ScalarTypeDefinition',
           name: nameNode('Hello', { start: 7, end: 12 }),
           description: undefined,
+          type: undefined,
           directives: [],
           loc: { start: 0, end: 12 },
         },
diff --git a/src/language/__tests__/schema-printer-test.js b/src/language/__tests__/schema-printer-test.js
index 6740d8b4c0..0071b26a3e 100644
--- a/src/language/__tests__/schema-printer-test.js
+++ b/src/language/__tests__/schema-printer-test.js
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ describe('Printer: SDL document', () => {
 
       scalar AnnotatedScalar @onScalar
 
+      scalar StringEncodedCustomScalar as String
+
       extend scalar CustomScalar @onScalar
 
       enum Site {
diff --git a/src/language/ast.js b/src/language/ast.js
index 22169c327d..b8fdf4c522 100644
--- a/src/language/ast.js
+++ b/src/language/ast.js
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ export type ScalarTypeDefinitionNode = {
   +loc?: Location,
   +description?: StringValueNode,
   +name: NameNode,
+  +type?: NamedTypeNode,
   +directives?: $ReadOnlyArray<DirectiveNode>,
 };
 
diff --git a/src/language/parser.js b/src/language/parser.js
index 3802448e0a..97677cf4c6 100644
--- a/src/language/parser.js
+++ b/src/language/parser.js
@@ -838,18 +838,26 @@ function parseOperationTypeDefinition(
 }
 
 /**
- * ScalarTypeDefinition : Description? scalar Name Directives[Const]?
+ * ScalarTypeDefinition :
+ *   - Description? scalar Name ScalarOfType? Directives[Const]?
+ *
+ * ScalarOfType : as NamedType
  */
 function parseScalarTypeDefinition(lexer: Lexer<*>): ScalarTypeDefinitionNode {
   const start = lexer.token;
   const description = parseDescription(lexer);
   expectKeyword(lexer, 'scalar');
   const name = parseName(lexer);
+  let type;
+  if (skipKeyword(lexer, 'as')) {
+    type = parseNamedType(lexer);
+  }
   const directives = parseDirectives(lexer, true);
   return {
     kind: Kind.SCALAR_TYPE_DEFINITION,
     description,
     name,
+    type,
     directives,
     loc: loc(lexer, start),
   };
diff --git a/src/language/printer.js b/src/language/printer.js
index 949f7c22c7..8cf5a6ab2b 100644
--- a/src/language/printer.js
+++ b/src/language/printer.js
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ const printDocASTReducer = {
 
   OperationTypeDefinition: ({ operation, type }) => operation + ': ' + type,
 
-  ScalarTypeDefinition: addDescription(({ name, directives }) =>
-    join(['scalar', name, join(directives, ' ')], ' '),
+  ScalarTypeDefinition: addDescription(({ name, type, directives }) =>
+    join(['scalar', name, wrap('as ', type), join(directives, ' ')], ' '),
   ),
 
   ObjectTypeDefinition: addDescription(
diff --git a/src/language/visitor.js b/src/language/visitor.js
index ab5839ada7..16b549ddb0 100644
--- a/src/language/visitor.js
+++ b/src/language/visitor.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export const QueryDocumentKeys = {
   SchemaDefinition: ['directives', 'operationTypes'],
   OperationTypeDefinition: ['type'],
 
-  ScalarTypeDefinition: ['description', 'name', 'directives'],
+  ScalarTypeDefinition: ['description', 'name', 'type', 'directives'],
   ObjectTypeDefinition: [
     'description',
     'name',
diff --git a/src/type/__tests__/introspection-test.js b/src/type/__tests__/introspection-test.js
index 532a19db3e..7e6384b149 100644
--- a/src/type/__tests__/introspection-test.js
+++ b/src/type/__tests__/introspection-test.js
@@ -1357,7 +1357,9 @@ describe('Introspection', () => {
             'An enum describing what kind of type a given `__Type` is.',
           enumValues: [
             {
-              description: 'Indicates this type is a scalar.',
+              description:
+                'Indicates this type is a scalar. ' +
+                '`ofType` may represent how this scalar is serialized.',
               name: 'SCALAR',
             },
             {
diff --git a/src/type/definition.js b/src/type/definition.js
index 675092d0a7..bfb57d4c49 100644
--- a/src/type/definition.js
+++ b/src/type/definition.js
@@ -538,6 +538,7 @@ export class GraphQLScalarType {
   serialize: GraphQLScalarSerializer<*>;
   parseValue: GraphQLScalarValueParser<*>;
   parseLiteral: GraphQLScalarLiteralParser<*>;
+  ofType: ?GraphQLScalarType;
   astNode: ?ScalarTypeDefinitionNode;
   extensionASTNodes: ?$ReadOnlyArray<ScalarTypeExtensionNode>;
 
@@ -545,10 +546,18 @@ export class GraphQLScalarType {
     this.name = config.name;
     this.description = config.description;
     this.serialize = config.serialize;
-    this.parseValue = config.parseValue || (value => value);
-    this.parseLiteral = config.parseLiteral || valueFromASTUntyped;
+    this.ofType = config.ofType || null;
+    this.parseValue =
+      config.parseValue ||
+      (this.ofType && this.ofType.parseValue) ||
+      (value => value);
+    this.parseLiteral =
+      config.parseLiteral ||
+      (this.ofType && this.ofType.parseLiteral) ||
+      valueFromASTUntyped;
     this.astNode = config.astNode;
     this.extensionASTNodes = config.extensionASTNodes;
+
     invariant(typeof config.name === 'string', 'Must provide name.');
     invariant(
       typeof config.serialize === 'function',
@@ -591,6 +600,7 @@ export type GraphQLScalarTypeConfig<TInternal, TExternal> = {|
   parseValue?: GraphQLScalarValueParser<TInternal>,
   // Parses an externally provided literal value to use as an input.
   parseLiteral?: GraphQLScalarLiteralParser<TInternal>,
+  ofType?: ?GraphQLScalarType,
   astNode?: ?ScalarTypeDefinitionNode,
   extensionASTNodes?: ?$ReadOnlyArray<ScalarTypeExtensionNode>,
 |};
diff --git a/src/type/introspection.js b/src/type/introspection.js
index 63630d95c9..f1b3bd98ac 100644
--- a/src/type/introspection.js
+++ b/src/type/introspection.js
@@ -192,8 +192,8 @@ export const __Type = new GraphQLObjectType({
     'The fundamental unit of any GraphQL Schema is the type. There are ' +
     'many kinds of types in GraphQL as represented by the `__TypeKind` enum.' +
     '\n\nDepending on the kind of a type, certain fields describe ' +
-    'information about that type. Scalar types provide no information ' +
-    'beyond a name and description, while Enum types provide their values. ' +
+    'information about that type. Scalar types provide a name, description ' +
+    'and how they serialize, while Enum types provide their possible values. ' +
     'Object and Interface types provide the fields they describe. Abstract ' +
     'types, Union and Interface, provide the Object types possible ' +
     'at runtime. List and NonNull types compose other types.',
@@ -399,7 +399,9 @@ export const __TypeKind = new GraphQLEnumType({
   values: {
     SCALAR: {
       value: TypeKind.SCALAR,
-      description: 'Indicates this type is a scalar.',
+      description:
+        'Indicates this type is a scalar. ' +
+        '`ofType` may represent how this scalar is serialized.',
     },
     OBJECT: {
       value: TypeKind.OBJECT,
diff --git a/src/type/validate.js b/src/type/validate.js
index 22f3423d58..db36cb9f57 100644
--- a/src/type/validate.js
+++ b/src/type/validate.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 import {
+  isScalarType,
   isObjectType,
   isInterfaceType,
   isUnionType,
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ import {
   isRequiredArgument,
 } from './definition';
 import type {
+  GraphQLScalarType,
   GraphQLObjectType,
   GraphQLInterfaceType,
   GraphQLUnionType,
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@ import type {
 import { isDirective } from './directives';
 import type { GraphQLDirective } from './directives';
 import { isIntrospectionType } from './introspection';
+import { isSpecifiedScalarType } from './scalars';
 import { isSchema } from './schema';
 import type { GraphQLSchema } from './schema';
 import inspect from '../jsutils/inspect';
@@ -244,7 +247,10 @@ function validateTypes(context: SchemaValidationContext): void {
       validateName(context, type);
     }
 
-    if (isObjectType(type)) {
+    if (isScalarType(type)) {
+      // Ensure Scalars can serialize as expected.
+      validateScalarSerialization(context, type);
+    } else if (isObjectType(type)) {
       // Ensure fields are valid
       validateFields(context, type);
 
@@ -266,6 +272,20 @@ function validateTypes(context: SchemaValidationContext): void {
   }
 }
 
+function validateScalarSerialization(
+  context: SchemaValidationContext,
+  scalarType: GraphQLScalarType,
+): void {
+  if (scalarType.ofType && !isSpecifiedScalarType(scalarType.ofType)) {
+    context.reportError(
+      `Scalar type ${scalarType.name} may only be described in terms of a ` +
+        `spec-defined scalar type. However ${String(scalarType.ofType)} is ` +
+        'not a built-in scalar type.',
+      scalarType.astNode && scalarType.astNode.type,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 function validateFields(
   context: SchemaValidationContext,
   type: GraphQLObjectType | GraphQLInterfaceType,
diff --git a/src/utilities/__tests__/schemaPrinter-test.js b/src/utilities/__tests__/schemaPrinter-test.js
index e4a1a6c1ad..dd3efc07e1 100644
--- a/src/utilities/__tests__/schemaPrinter-test.js
+++ b/src/utilities/__tests__/schemaPrinter-test.js
@@ -463,8 +463,17 @@ describe('Type System Printer', () => {
   });
 
   it('Custom Scalar', () => {
+    const EvenType = new GraphQLScalarType({
+      name: 'Even',
+      ofType: GraphQLInt,
+      serialize(value) {
+        return value % 2 === 1 ? value : null;
+      },
+    });
+
     const OddType = new GraphQLScalarType({
       name: 'Odd',
+      // No ofType in this test case.
       serialize(value) {
         return value % 2 === 1 ? value : null;
       },
@@ -473,6 +482,7 @@ describe('Type System Printer', () => {
     const Query = new GraphQLObjectType({
       name: 'Query',
       fields: {
+        even: { type: EvenType },
         odd: { type: OddType },
       },
     });
@@ -480,9 +490,12 @@ describe('Type System Printer', () => {
     const Schema = new GraphQLSchema({ query: Query });
     const output = printForTest(Schema);
     expect(output).to.equal(dedent`
+      scalar Even as Int
+
       scalar Odd
 
       type Query {
+        even: Even
         odd: Odd
       }
     `);
@@ -787,10 +800,10 @@ describe('Type System Printer', () => {
       types in GraphQL as represented by the \`__TypeKind\` enum.
 
       Depending on the kind of a type, certain fields describe information about that
-      type. Scalar types provide no information beyond a name and description, while
-      Enum types provide their values. Object and Interface types provide the fields
-      they describe. Abstract types, Union and Interface, provide the Object types
-      possible at runtime. List and NonNull types compose other types.
+      type. Scalar types provide a name, description and how they serialize, while
+      Enum types provide their possible values. Object and Interface types provide the
+      fields they describe. Abstract types, Union and Interface, provide the Object
+      types possible at runtime. List and NonNull types compose other types.
       """
       type __Type {
         kind: __TypeKind!
@@ -806,7 +819,9 @@ describe('Type System Printer', () => {
 
       """An enum describing what kind of type a given \`__Type\` is."""
       enum __TypeKind {
-        """Indicates this type is a scalar."""
+        """
+        Indicates this type is a scalar. \`ofType\` may represent how this scalar is serialized.
+        """
         SCALAR
 
         """
@@ -1003,10 +1018,10 @@ describe('Type System Printer', () => {
       # types in GraphQL as represented by the \`__TypeKind\` enum.
       #
       # Depending on the kind of a type, certain fields describe information about that
-      # type. Scalar types provide no information beyond a name and description, while
-      # Enum types provide their values. Object and Interface types provide the fields
-      # they describe. Abstract types, Union and Interface, provide the Object types
-      # possible at runtime. List and NonNull types compose other types.
+      # type. Scalar types provide a name, description and how they serialize, while
+      # Enum types provide their possible values. Object and Interface types provide the
+      # fields they describe. Abstract types, Union and Interface, provide the Object
+      # types possible at runtime. List and NonNull types compose other types.
       type __Type {
         kind: __TypeKind!
         name: String
@@ -1021,7 +1036,7 @@ describe('Type System Printer', () => {
 
       # An enum describing what kind of type a given \`__Type\` is.
       enum __TypeKind {
-        # Indicates this type is a scalar.
+        # Indicates this type is a scalar. \`ofType\` may represent how this scalar is serialized.
         SCALAR
 
         # Indicates this type is an object. \`fields\` and \`interfaces\` are valid fields.
diff --git a/src/utilities/buildASTSchema.js b/src/utilities/buildASTSchema.js
index 2319e740b3..ecf7b604a0 100644
--- a/src/utilities/buildASTSchema.js
+++ b/src/utilities/buildASTSchema.js
@@ -421,6 +421,10 @@ export class ASTDefinitionBuilder {
     return new GraphQLScalarType({
       name: def.name.value,
       description: getDescription(def, this._options),
+      // Note: While this could make assertions to get the correctly typed
+      // values below, that would throw immediately while type system
+      // validation with validateSchema() will produce more actionable results.
+      ofType: def.type && (this.buildType(def.type): any),
       astNode: def,
       serialize: value => value,
     });
diff --git a/src/utilities/buildClientSchema.js b/src/utilities/buildClientSchema.js
index 531036dca3..3fe9a2c539 100644
--- a/src/utilities/buildClientSchema.js
+++ b/src/utilities/buildClientSchema.js
@@ -202,9 +202,13 @@ export function buildClientSchema(
   function buildScalarDef(
     scalarIntrospection: IntrospectionScalarType,
   ): GraphQLScalarType {
+    const ofType = scalarIntrospection.ofType
+      ? (getType(scalarIntrospection.ofType): any)
+      : undefined;
     return new GraphQLScalarType({
       name: scalarIntrospection.name,
       description: scalarIntrospection.description,
+      ofType,
       serialize: value => value,
     });
   }
diff --git a/src/utilities/findBreakingChanges.js b/src/utilities/findBreakingChanges.js
index 9f7962138f..1b27e0775b 100644
--- a/src/utilities/findBreakingChanges.js
+++ b/src/utilities/findBreakingChanges.js
@@ -163,6 +163,18 @@ export function findTypesThatChangedKind(
           `${typeName} changed from ` +
           `${typeKindName(oldType)} to ${typeKindName(newType)}.`,
       });
+    } else if (isScalarType(oldType) && isScalarType(newType)) {
+      const oldOfType = oldType.ofType;
+      const newOfType = newType.ofType;
+      if (oldOfType && newOfType && oldOfType !== newOfType) {
+        breakingChanges.push({
+          type: BreakingChangeType.TYPE_CHANGED_KIND,
+          description:
+            `${typeName} changed from ` +
+            `${typeKindName(oldType)} serialized as ${oldOfType.name} ` +
+            `to ${typeKindName(newType)} serialized as ${newOfType.name}.`,
+        });
+      }
     }
   }
   return breakingChanges;
diff --git a/src/utilities/introspectionQuery.js b/src/utilities/introspectionQuery.js
index b6ebe58485..1ad3a4a7e4 100644
--- a/src/utilities/introspectionQuery.js
+++ b/src/utilities/introspectionQuery.js
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ export type IntrospectionScalarType = {
   +kind: 'SCALAR',
   +name: string,
   +description?: ?string,
+  +ofType?: ?IntrospectionNamedTypeRef<IntrospectionScalarType>,
 };
 
 export type IntrospectionObjectType = {
diff --git a/src/utilities/schemaPrinter.js b/src/utilities/schemaPrinter.js
index aa9b01c096..dd6665c650 100644
--- a/src/utilities/schemaPrinter.js
+++ b/src/utilities/schemaPrinter.js
@@ -180,7 +180,8 @@ export function printType(type: GraphQLNamedType, options?: Options): string {
 }
 
 function printScalar(type: GraphQLScalarType, options): string {
-  return printDescription(options, type) + `scalar ${type.name}`;
+  const ofType = type.ofType ? ` as ${type.ofType.name}` : '';
+  return printDescription(options, type) + `scalar ${type.name}${ofType}`;
 }
 
 function printObject(type: GraphQLObjectType, options): string {