diff --git a/src/core/endian_func.hpp b/src/core/endian_func.hpp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/endian_func.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/* $Id$ */
+
+/** @file endian_func.hpp */
+
+#ifndef ENDIAN_FUNC_H
+#define ENDIAN_FUNC_H
+
+static inline uint16 ReadLE16Aligned(const void *x)
+{
+	return FROM_LE16(*(const uint16*)x);
+}
+
+static inline uint16 ReadLE16Unaligned(const void *x)
+{
+#ifdef OTTD_ALIGNMENT
+	return ((const byte*)x)[0] | ((const byte*)x)[1] << 8;
+#else
+	return FROM_LE16(*(const uint16*)x);
+#endif
+}
+
+#endif /* ENDIAN_FUNC_H */