diff --git a/pybloom/pybloom.py b/pybloom/pybloom.py
index beeefe4..82370c2 100644
--- a/pybloom/pybloom.py
+++ b/pybloom/pybloom.py
@@ -376,6 +376,43 @@ def add(self, key):
         filter.add(key, skip_check=True)
         return False
 
+    def copy(self):
+        """Return a copy of this scalable bloom filter.
+        """
+        new_filter = ScalableBloomFilter(initial_capacity=self.initial_capacity,
+                                         error_rate=self.error_rate,
+                                         mode=self.SMALL_SET_GROWTH)
+        new_filter.filters = self.filters[:]
+        return new_filter
+
+    def union(self, other):
+        """ Calculates the union of the underlying classic bloom filters and returns
+        a new scalable bloom filter object."""
+
+        if self.scale != other.scale or \
+                self.initial_capacity != other.initial_capacity or \
+                self.error_rate != other.error_rate:
+            raise ValueError("Unioning two scalable bloom filters requires \
+            both filters to have both the same mode, initial capacity and error rate")
+        if len(self.filters) > len(other.filters):
+            larger_sbf = self.copy()
+            smaller_sbf = other.copy()
+        else:
+            larger_sbf = other.copy()
+            smaller_sbf = self.copy()
+        # Union the underlying classic bloom filters
+        new_filters = []
+        for i in range(len(smaller_sbf.filters)):
+            new_filter = larger_sbf.filters[i] | smaller_sbf.filters[i]
+            new_filters.append(new_filter)
+        for i in range(len(smaller_sbf.filters), len(larger_sbf.filters)):
+            new_filters.append(larger_sbf.filters[i])
+        larger_sbf.filters = new_filters
+        return larger_sbf
+
+    def __or__(self, other):
+        return self.union(other)
+
     @property
     def capacity(self):
         """Returns the total capacity for all filters in this SBF"""
diff --git a/pybloom/tests.py b/pybloom/tests.py
index 13d9b7d..babbadd 100644
--- a/pybloom/tests.py
+++ b/pybloom/tests.py
@@ -77,6 +77,18 @@ def _run():
             new_bloom = bloom_one.union(bloom_two)
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, _run)
 
+    def test_union_scalable_bloom_filter(self):
+        bloom_one = ScalableBloomFilter(mode=ScalableBloomFilter.SMALL_SET_GROWTH)
+        bloom_two = ScalableBloomFilter(mode=ScalableBloomFilter.SMALL_SET_GROWTH)
+        chars = [chr(i) for i in range_fn(97, 123)]
+        for char in chars[int(len(chars) / 2):]:
+            bloom_one.add(char)
+        for char in chars[:int(len(chars) / 2)]:
+            bloom_two.add(char)
+        new_bloom = bloom_one.union(bloom_two)
+        for char in chars:
+            self.assertTrue(char in new_bloom)
+
 class Serialization(unittest.TestCase):
     SIZE = 12345
     EXPECTED = set([random.randint(0, 10000100) for _ in range_fn(SIZE)])