diff --git a/library/lua/test_util/mock.lua b/library/lua/test_util/mock.lua
index c60646b77..8d253cc10 100644
--- a/library/lua/test_util/mock.lua
+++ b/library/lua/test_util/mock.lua
@@ -32,12 +32,17 @@ function _patch_impl(patches_raw, callback, restore_only)
 end
 
 --[[
+
+Replaces `table[key]` with `value`, calls `callback()`, then restores the
+original value of `table[key]`.
+
 Usage:
     patch(table, key, value, callback)
     patch({
         {table, key, value},
         {table2, key2, value2},
     }, callback)
+
 ]]
 function mock.patch(...)
     local args = {...}
@@ -57,12 +62,18 @@ function mock.patch(...)
 end
 
 --[[
+
+Restores the original value of `table[key]` after calling `callback()`.
+
+Equivalent to: patch(table, key, table[key], callback)
+
 Usage:
     restore(table, key, callback)
     restore({
         {table, key},
         {table2, key2},
     }, callback)
+
 ]]
 function mock.restore(...)
     local args = {...}
@@ -81,9 +92,19 @@ function mock.restore(...)
     return _patch_impl(patches, callback, true)
 end
 
-function mock.func(...)
+--[[
+
+Returns a callable object that tracks the arguments it is called with, then
+passes those arguments to `callback()`.
+
+The returned object has the following properties:
+- `call_count`: the number of times the object has been called
+- `call_args`: a table of function arguments (shallow-copied) corresponding
+    to each time the object was called
+
+]]
+function mock.observe_func(callback)
     local f = {
-        return_values = {...},
         call_count = 0,
         call_args = {},
     }
@@ -101,11 +122,36 @@ function mock.func(...)
                 end
             end
             table.insert(self.call_args, args)
-            return table.unpack(self.return_values)
+            return callback(...)
         end,
     })
 
     return f
 end
 
+--[[
+
+Returns a callable object similar to `mock.observe_func()`, but which when
+called, only returns the given `return_value`(s) with no additional side effects.
+
+Intended for use by `patch()`.
+
+Usage:
+    func(return_value [, return_value2 ...])
+
+See `observe_func()` for a description of the return value.
+
+The return value also has an additional `return_values` field, which is a table
+of values returned when the object is called. This can be modified.
+
+]]
+function mock.func(...)
+    local f
+    f = mock.observe_func(function()
+        return table.unpack(f.return_values)
+    end)
+    f.return_values = {...}
+    return f
+end
+
 return mock
diff --git a/test/library/test_util/mock.lua b/test/library/test_util/mock.lua
index 32aed28e1..1031a496a 100644
--- a/test/library/test_util/mock.lua
+++ b/test/library/test_util/mock.lua
@@ -208,9 +208,44 @@ function test.func_call_return_value()
 end
 
 function test.func_call_return_multiple_values()
-    local f = mock.func(7,5,{imatable='snarfsnarf'})
+    local f = mock.func(7, 5, {imatable='snarfsnarf'})
     local a, b, c = f()
     expect.eq(7, a)
     expect.eq(5, b)
     expect.table_eq({imatable='snarfsnarf'}, c)
 end
+
+function test.observe_func()
+    -- basic end-to-end test for common cases;
+    -- most edge cases are covered by mock.func() tests
+    local counter = 0
+    local function target()
+        counter = counter + 1
+        return counter
+    end
+    local observer = mock.observe_func(target)
+
+    expect.eq(observer(), 1)
+    expect.eq(counter, 1)
+    expect.eq(observer.call_count, 1)
+    expect.table_eq(observer.call_args, {{}})
+
+    expect.eq(observer('x', 'y'), 2)
+    expect.eq(counter, 2)
+    expect.eq(observer.call_count, 2)
+    expect.table_eq(observer.call_args, {{}, {'x', 'y'}})
+end
+
+function test.observe_func_error()
+    local function target()
+        error('asdf')
+    end
+    local observer = mock.observe_func(target)
+
+    expect.error_match('asdf', function()
+        observer('x')
+    end)
+    -- make sure the call was still tracked
+    expect.eq(observer.call_count, 1)
+    expect.table_eq(observer.call_args, {{'x'}})
+end