diff --git a/panda/src/putil/bitMask.I b/panda/src/putil/bitMask.I
index ffaf45052d..9c7de08321 100644
--- a/panda/src/putil/bitMask.I
+++ b/panda/src/putil/bitMask.I
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ set_word(WordType value) {
 template<class WType, int nbits>
 INLINE int BitMask<WType, nbits>::
 get_num_on_bits() const {
-  return count_bits_in_word(_word);
+  return count_bits_in_word((WType)_word);
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ get_num_on_bits() const {
 template<class WType, int nbits>
 INLINE int BitMask<WType, nbits>::
 get_num_off_bits() const {
-  return count_bits_in_word(~_word);
+  return count_bits_in_word((WType)(~_word));
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ get_next_higher_different_bit(int low_bit) const {
     w = (w & (~w + 1));
 
     // And the answer is the number of bits in (w - 1).
-    return count_bits_in_word(w - 1);
+    return count_bits_in_word((WType)(w - 1));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/putil/bitMask.h b/panda/src/putil/bitMask.h
index 2a3e494236..fdc3b58fc1 100644
--- a/panda/src/putil/bitMask.h
+++ b/panda/src/putil/bitMask.h
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ INLINE ostream &operator << (ostream &out, const BitMask<WType, nbits> &bitmask)
 #define BITMASK32_DEF BitMask<PN_uint32, 32>
 EXPORT_TEMPLATE_CLASS(EXPCL_PANDA_PUTIL, EXPTP_PANDA_PUTIL, BITMASK32_DEF);
 
+typedef BitMask<PN_uint16, 16> BitMask16;
 typedef BitMask<PN_uint32, 32> BitMask32;
 typedef BitMask<PN_uint64, 64> BitMask64;
 
diff --git a/panda/src/putil/pbitops.I b/panda/src/putil/pbitops.I
index 36487ba082..e6a1457fc9 100644
--- a/panda/src/putil/pbitops.I
+++ b/panda/src/putil/pbitops.I
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: count_bits_in_word
+//  Description: Returns the number of 1 bits in the indicated word.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int
+count_bits_in_word(PN_uint16 x) {
+  return (int)num_bits_on[x];
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: count_bits_in_word
 //  Description: Returns the number of 1 bits in the indicated word.
@@ -31,6 +40,20 @@ count_bits_in_word(PN_uint64 x) {
   return count_bits_in_word((PN_uint32)x) + count_bits_in_word((PN_uint32)(x >> 32));
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: flood_bits_down
+//  Description: Returns a value such that every bit at or below the
+//               highest bit in x is 1.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE PN_uint16
+flood_bits_down(PN_uint16 x) {
+  x |= (x >> 1);
+  x |= (x >> 2);
+  x |= (x >> 4);
+  x |= (x >> 8);
+  return x;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: flood_bits_down
 //  Description: Returns a value such that every bit at or below the
@@ -62,6 +85,20 @@ flood_bits_down(PN_uint64 x) {
   return x;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: flood_bits_up
+//  Description: Returns a value such that every bit at or above the
+//               highest bit in x is 1.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE PN_uint16
+flood_bits_up(PN_uint16 x) {
+  x |= (x << 1);
+  x |= (x << 2);
+  x |= (x << 4);
+  x |= (x << 8);
+  return x;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: flood_bits_up
 //  Description: Returns a value such that every bit at or above the
@@ -93,6 +130,21 @@ flood_bits_up(PN_uint64 x) {
   return x;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: get_lowest_on_bit
+//  Description: Returns the index of the lowest 1 bit in the word.
+//               Returns -1 if there are no 1 bits.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int
+get_lowest_on_bit(PN_uint16 x) {
+  if (x == 0) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  PN_uint16 w = (x & (~x + 1));
+  return (int)num_bits_on[w - 1];
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: get_lowest_on_bit
 //  Description: Returns the index of the lowest 1 bit in the word.
@@ -123,6 +175,17 @@ get_lowest_on_bit(PN_uint64 x) {
   return count_bits_in_word(w - 1);
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: get_highest_on_bit
+//  Description: Returns the index of the highest 1 bit in the word.
+//               Returns -1 if there are no 1 bits.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int
+get_highest_on_bit(PN_uint16 x) {
+  PN_uint16 w = flood_bits_down(x);
+  return count_bits_in_word(w) - 1;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: get_highest_on_bit
 //  Description: Returns the index of the highest 1 bit in the word.
@@ -145,6 +208,19 @@ get_highest_on_bit(PN_uint64 x) {
   return count_bits_in_word(w) - 1;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: get_next_higher_bit
+//  Description: Returns the smallest power of 2 greater than x.
+//
+//               Returns the smallest number n such that (1 << n) is
+//               larger than x.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int
+get_next_higher_bit(PN_uint16 x) {
+  PN_uint16 w = flood_bits_down(x);
+  return count_bits_in_word(w);
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: get_next_higher_bit
 //  Description: Returns the smallest power of 2 greater than x.
diff --git a/panda/src/putil/pbitops.h b/panda/src/putil/pbitops.h
index d85a68f3f9..ff6adca171 100644
--- a/panda/src/putil/pbitops.h
+++ b/panda/src/putil/pbitops.h
@@ -23,19 +23,25 @@
 // all to heck.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
+INLINE int count_bits_in_word(PN_uint16 x);
 INLINE int count_bits_in_word(PN_uint32 x);
 INLINE int count_bits_in_word(PN_uint64 x);
 
+INLINE PN_uint16 flood_bits_down(PN_uint16 x);
 INLINE PN_uint32 flood_bits_down(PN_uint32 x);
 INLINE PN_uint64 flood_bits_down(PN_uint64 x);
+INLINE PN_uint16 flood_bits_up(PN_uint16 x);
 INLINE PN_uint32 flood_bits_up(PN_uint32 x);
 INLINE PN_uint64 flood_bits_up(PN_uint64 x);
 
+INLINE int get_lowest_on_bit(PN_uint16 x);
 INLINE int get_lowest_on_bit(PN_uint32 x);
 INLINE int get_lowest_on_bit(PN_uint64 x);
+INLINE int get_highest_on_bit(PN_uint16 x);
 INLINE int get_highest_on_bit(PN_uint32 x);
 INLINE int get_highest_on_bit(PN_uint64 x);
 
+INLINE int get_next_higher_bit(PN_uint16 x);
 INLINE int get_next_higher_bit(PN_uint32 x);
 INLINE int get_next_higher_bit(PN_uint64 x);