diff --git a/src/stdune/scanf.ml b/src/stdune/scanf.ml
index cd00486dad47..df8dc40362b6 100644
--- a/src/stdune/scanf.ml
+++ b/src/stdune/scanf.ml
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 module Scanf = Dune_caml.Scanf
 
-let unescaped x =
-  match Scanf.unescaped x with
+let try_ f =
+  match f () with
   | exception End_of_file -> Error ()
   | exception Scanf.Scan_failure _ -> Error ()
+  | exception (Failure _) -> Error ()
   | x -> Ok x
 
-let sscanf x fmt f =
-  match Scanf.sscanf x fmt f with
-  | exception End_of_file -> Error ()
-  | exception Scanf.Scan_failure _ -> Error ()
-  | x -> Ok x
+let unescaped x = try_ (fun () -> Scanf.unescaped x)
+
+let sscanf x fmt f = try_ (fun () -> Scanf.sscanf x fmt f)