diff --git a/src/include/86box/86box.h b/src/include/86box/86box.h
index 33749d440..1c4c4790c 100644
--- a/src/include/86box/86box.h
+++ b/src/include/86box/86box.h
@@ -79,6 +79,15 @@
 #define BCD16(x)  ((((x) / 1000) << 12) | (((x) / 100) << 8) | BCD8(x))
 #define BCD32(x)  ((((x) / 10000000) << 28) | (((x) / 1000000) << 24) | (((x) / 100000) << 20) | (((x) / 10000) << 16) | BCD16(x))
 
+#define AS_U8(x)  (*((uint8_t *) &(x)))
+#define AS_U16(x) (*((uint16_t *) &(x)))
+#define AS_U32(x) (*((uint32_t *) &(x)))
+#define AS_U64(x) (*((uint64_t *) &(x)))
+#define AS_I8(x)  (*((int8_t *) &(x)))
+#define AS_I16(x) (*((int16_t *) &(x)))
+#define AS_I32(x) (*((int32_t *) &(x)))
+#define AS_I64(x) (*((int64_t *) &(x)))
+
 #if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
 #    define UNLIKELY(x) __builtin_expect((x), 0)
 #    define LIKELY(x)   __builtin_expect((x), 1)