diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 71a6724d3..ee611674e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ Please check the list below for the specific syntax you need.
 
 ## Supported features
 
+* Search a character in a string with `findfirst`, `findnext`, `findlast` and `findprev` ([#31664]). (since Compat 3.12.0)
+
 * `∘(f) = f` is defined ([#34251]). (since Compat 3.11.0)
 
 * `union` supports `Base.OneTo` ([#35577]). (since Compat 3.11.0)
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ Note that you should specify the correct minimum version for `Compat` in the
 [#29442]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/29442
 [#29674]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/29674
 [#29749]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/29749
+[#31664]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/31664
 [#32628]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/32628
 [#32739]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/32739
 [#32753]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/32753
diff --git a/src/Compat.jl b/src/Compat.jl
index 9f638652c..76596c381 100644
--- a/src/Compat.jl
+++ b/src/Compat.jl
@@ -65,6 +65,15 @@ if VERSION < v"1.2.0-DEV.272"
     export hasproperty
 end
 
+if VERSION < v"1.3.0-DEV.349"
+    Base.findfirst(ch::AbstractChar, string::AbstractString) = findfirst(==(ch), string)
+    Base.findnext(ch::AbstractChar, string::AbstractString, ind::Integer) =
+        findnext(==(ch), string, ind)
+    Base.findlast(ch::AbstractChar, string::AbstractString) = findlast(==(ch), string)
+    Base.findprev(ch::AbstractChar, string::AbstractString, ind::Integer) =
+        findprev(==(ch), string, ind)
+end
+
 # https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/pull/29259
 if VERSION < v"1.1.0-DEV.594"
     Base.merge(a::NamedTuple, b::NamedTuple, cs::NamedTuple...) = merge(merge(a, b), cs...)
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index c99392b48..bfbb37079 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -105,6 +105,50 @@ end
     @test_throws DivideError mod(3, 1:0)
 end
 
+# https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/pull/31664
+@testset "search character in strings" begin
+    let astr = "Hello, world.\n",
+        u8str = "∀ ε > 0, ∃ δ > 0: |x-y| < δ ⇒ |f(x)-f(y)| < ε"
+        @test_throws BoundsError findnext('z', astr, 0)
+        @test_throws BoundsError findnext('∀', astr, 0)
+        @test findfirst('x', astr) == nothing
+        @test findfirst('\0', astr) == nothing
+        @test findfirst('\u80', astr) == nothing
+        @test findfirst('∀', astr) == nothing
+        @test findfirst('∀', u8str) == 1
+        @test findfirst('ε', u8str) == 5
+        @test findfirst('H', astr) == 1
+        @test findfirst('l', astr) == 3
+        @test findfirst('e', astr) == 2
+        @test findfirst('u', astr) == nothing
+        @test findnext('l', astr, 4) == 4
+        @test findnext('l', astr, 5) == 11
+        @test findnext('l', astr, 12) == nothing
+        @test findfirst(',', astr) == 6
+        @test findnext(',', astr, 7) == nothing
+        @test findfirst('\n', astr) == 14
+        @test findnext('\n', astr, 15) == nothing
+        @test_throws BoundsError findnext('ε', astr, nextind(astr,lastindex(astr))+1)
+        @test_throws BoundsError findnext('a', astr, nextind(astr,lastindex(astr))+1)
+        @test findlast('x', astr) == nothing
+        @test findlast('\0', astr) == nothing
+        @test findlast('\u80', astr) == nothing
+        @test findlast('∀', astr) == nothing
+        @test findlast('∀', u8str) == 1
+        @test findlast('ε', u8str) == 54
+        @test findlast('H', astr) == 1
+        @test findprev('H', astr, 0) == nothing
+        @test findlast('l', astr) == 11
+        @test findprev('l', astr, 5) == 4
+        @test findprev('l', astr, 4) == 4
+        @test findprev('l', astr, 3) == 3
+        @test findprev('l', astr, 2) == nothing
+        @test findlast(',', astr) == 6
+        @test findprev(',', astr, 5) == nothing
+        @test findlast('\n', astr) == 14
+    end
+end
+
 using LinearAlgebra
 
 @testset "generalized dot #32739" begin