diff --git a/code/debugconsole/console.h b/code/debugconsole/console.h
index 9156b0a386..a3d51113a4 100644
--- a/code/debugconsole/console.h
+++ b/code/debugconsole/console.h
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ bool dc_pause_output(void);
  * @brief Prints the given char string to the debug console
  * @details See the doc for std::printf() for formating and more details
  */
-void dc_printf(const char *format, ...);
+void dc_printf(SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(1, 2);
 
 /**
  * @brief Opens and processes the debug console. (Blocking call)
diff --git a/code/fs2netd/fs2netd_client.cpp b/code/fs2netd/fs2netd_client.cpp
index 67ea6be5fe..8a30704b73 100644
--- a/code/fs2netd/fs2netd_client.cpp
+++ b/code/fs2netd/fs2netd_client.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "playerman/player.h"
 #include "popup/popup.h"
 #include "osapi/osapi.h"
+#include "hud/hudmessage.h"
 
 #ifndef WIN32
 #include <cstdio>
@@ -53,7 +54,6 @@
 
 
 extern int Multi_debrief_stats_accept_code;
-extern void HUD_printf(const char *format, ...);
 extern int game_hacked_data();
 
 
diff --git a/code/graphics/2d.h b/code/graphics/2d.h
index 2d4ce44945..82c8be29d5 100644
--- a/code/graphics/2d.h
+++ b/code/graphics/2d.h
@@ -876,13 +876,13 @@ bool gr_resize_screen_posf(float *x, float *y, float *w = NULL, float *h = NULL,
 // Does formatted printing.  This calls gr_string after formatting,
 // so if you don't need to format the string, then call gr_string
 // directly.
-extern void gr_printf( int x, int y, const char * format, ... );
+extern void gr_printf( int x, int y, const char * format, SCP_FORMAT_STRING ... ) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(3, 4);
 // same as gr_printf but positions text correctly in menus
-extern void gr_printf_menu( int x, int y, const char * format, ... );
+extern void gr_printf_menu( int x, int y, const char * format, SCP_FORMAT_STRING ... )  SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(3, 4);
 // same as gr_printf_menu but accounts for menu zooming
-extern void gr_printf_menu_zoomed( int x, int y, const char * format, ... );
+extern void gr_printf_menu_zoomed( int x, int y, const char * format, SCP_FORMAT_STRING ... )  SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(3, 4);
 // same as gr_printf but doesn't resize for non-standard resolutions
-extern void gr_printf_no_resize( int x, int y, const char * format, ... );
+extern void gr_printf_no_resize( int x, int y, const char * format, SCP_FORMAT_STRING ... )  SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(3, 4);
 
 // Returns the size of the string in pixels in w and h
 extern void gr_get_string_size( int *w, int *h, const char * text, int len = 9999 );
diff --git a/code/hud/hud.h b/code/hud/hud.h
index 369433944e..4b2ad6bbf3 100644
--- a/code/hud/hud.h
+++ b/code/hud/hud.h
@@ -311,8 +311,8 @@ public:
 	void renderString(int x, int y, const char *str);
 	void renderString(int x, int y, int gauge_id, const char *str);
 	void renderStringAlignCenter(int x, int y, int area_width, const char *s);
-	void renderPrintf(int x, int y, const char* format, ...);
-	void renderPrintf(int x, int y, int gauge_id, const char* format, ...);
+	void renderPrintf(int x, int y, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char* format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(4, 5);
+	void renderPrintf(int x, int y, int gauge_id, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char* format, ...)  SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(5, 6);
 	void renderLine(int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2);
 	void renderGradientLine(int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2);
 	void renderRect(int x, int y, int w, int h);
diff --git a/code/hud/hudmessage.h b/code/hud/hudmessage.h
index 59928c2c89..c6d6384b38 100644
--- a/code/hud/hudmessage.h
+++ b/code/hud/hudmessage.h
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ void hud_init_msg_window();
 void hud_clear_msg_buffer();
 int HUD_team_get_source(int team);
 int HUD_source_get_team(int team);
-void HUD_printf(const char *format, ...);
+void HUD_printf(SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(1, 2);
 void hud_sourced_print(int source, const char *msg);
-void HUD_sourced_printf(int source, const char *format, ...);  // send hud message from specified source
-void HUD_ship_sent_printf(int sh, const char *format, ...);  // send hud message from a specific ship
-void HUD_fixed_printf(float duration, color col, const char *format, ...);		//	Display a single message for duration seconds.
+void HUD_sourced_printf(int source, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(2, 3);  // send hud message from specified source
+void HUD_ship_sent_printf(int sh, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(2, 3);  // send hud message from a specific ship
+void HUD_fixed_printf(float duration, color col, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(3, 4);		//	Display a single message for duration seconds.
 void HUD_init_fixed_text();			//	Clear all pending fixed text.
 
 void HUD_add_to_scrollback(const char *text, int source);
diff --git a/code/network/multi_log.h b/code/network/multi_log.h
index 2a3644b486..c9e537f6db 100644
--- a/code/network/multi_log.h
+++ b/code/network/multi_log.h
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #ifndef _FREESPACE_MULTIPLAYER_LOGFILE_HEADER_FILE
 #define _FREESPACE_MULTIPLAYER_LOGFILE_HEADER_FILE
 
+#include "globalincs/pstypes.h"
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // MULTI LOGFILE DEFINES/VARS
 //
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ void multi_log_close();
 void multi_log_process();
 
 // printf function itself called by the ml_printf macro
-void ml_printf(const char *format, ...);
+void ml_printf(SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(1, 2);
 
 // string print function
 void ml_string(const char *string, int add_time = 1);
diff --git a/code/parse/generic_log.h b/code/parse/generic_log.h
index ee96e8667a..99740717e2 100644
--- a/code/parse/generic_log.h
+++ b/code/parse/generic_log.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ bool logfile_init(int logfile_type);
 void logfile_close(int logfile_type);
 
 // printf function itself called by the log_printf macro
-void log_printf(int logfile_type, const char *format, ...);
+void log_printf(int logfile_type, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(2, 3);
 
 // string print function
 void log_string(int logfile_type, const char *string, int add_time = 0);
diff --git a/code/parse/parselo.h b/code/parse/parselo.h
index 8bc7f8bad8..1e76d53187 100644
--- a/code/parse/parselo.h
+++ b/code/parse/parselo.h
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ extern void ignore_gray_space();
 // error
 extern int get_line_num();
 extern char *next_tokens();
-extern void diag_printf(const char *format, ...);
-extern void error_display(int error_level, const char *format, ...);
+extern void diag_printf(SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(1, 2);
+extern void error_display(int error_level, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(2, 3);
 
 // skip
 extern int skip_to_string(const char *pstr, const char *end = NULL);
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ extern bool can_construe_as_integer(const char *text);
 
 // Goober5000 (ditto for C++)
 extern void vsprintf(SCP_string &dest, const char *format, va_list ap);
-extern void sprintf(SCP_string &dest, const char *format, ...);
+extern void sprintf(SCP_string &dest, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(2, 3);
 
 // Goober5000
 extern int subsystem_stricmp(const char *str1, const char *str2);
diff --git a/code/weapon/emp.h b/code/weapon/emp.h
index 0c1cde8285..3df662f7fb 100644
--- a/code/weapon/emp.h
+++ b/code/weapon/emp.h
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ int emp_should_blit_gauge();
 void emp_hud_string(int x, int y, int gauge_id, const char *str, int resize_mode);
 
 // emp hud printf
-void emp_hud_printf(int x, int y, int gauge_id, const char *format, ...);
+void emp_hud_printf(int x, int y, int gauge_id, SCP_FORMAT_STRING const char *format, ...) SCP_FORMAT_STRING_ARGS(4, 5);
 
 // throw some jitter into HUD x and y coords
 void emp_hud_jitter(int *x, int *y);