diff --git a/macros.h b/macros.h
index c235600aaccd0a69b8755c9eefae3091315680dc..89400c547b6c5e5605df988f50b4bdbfa8e94e53 100644
--- a/macros.h
+++ b/macros.h
@@ -40,6 +40,29 @@ do {						\
   (p)[3] = (i) & 0xff;				\
 } while(0)
 
+/* Analogous macros, for 24 and 16 bit numbers */
+#define READ_UINT24(p)				\
+(  (((uint32_t) (p)[0]) << 16)			\
+ | (((uint32_t) (p)[1]) << 8)			\
+ |  ((uint32_t) (p)[2]))
+
+#define WRITE_UINT24(p, i)			\
+do {						\
+  (p)[0] = ((i) >> 16) & 0xff;			\
+  (p)[1] = ((i) >> 8) & 0xff;			\
+  (p)[2] = (i) & 0xff;				\
+} while(0)
+
+#define READ_UINT16(p)				\
+(  (((uint32_t) (p)[0]) << 8)			\
+ |  ((uint32_t) (p)[1]))
+
+#define WRITE_UINT16(p, i)			\
+do {						\
+  (p)[0] = ((i) >> 8) & 0xff;			\
+  (p)[1] = (i) & 0xff;				\
+} while(0)
+
 /* And the other, little-endian, byteorder */
 #define LE_READ_UINT32(p)			\
 (  (((uint32_t) (p)[3]) << 24)			\