diff --git a/engine/common/net_buffer.c b/engine/common/net_buffer.c
index 34483ab9..567047f2 100644
--- a/engine/common/net_buffer.c
+++ b/engine/common/net_buffer.c
@@ -89,11 +89,6 @@ const char *svc_strings[svc_lastmsg+1] =
 	"svc_exec",
 };
 
-unsigned short MSG_BigShort( unsigned short swap )
-{
-	return (swap >> 8)|(swap << 8);
-}
-
 void MSG_InitMasks( void )
 {
 	uint	startbit, endbit;
diff --git a/engine/common/net_buffer.h b/engine/common/net_buffer.h
index 50cb7361..62ded8dc 100644
--- a/engine/common/net_buffer.h
+++ b/engine/common/net_buffer.h
@@ -63,7 +63,15 @@ void MSG_ExciseBits( sizebuf_t *sb, int startbit, int bitstoremove );
 _inline int MSG_TellBit( sizebuf_t *sb ) { return sb->iCurBit; }
 _inline const char *MSG_GetName( sizebuf_t *sb ) { return sb->pDebugName; }
 qboolean MSG_CheckOverflow( sizebuf_t *sb );
-unsigned short MSG_BigShort( unsigned short swap );
+
+#if XASH_BIG_ENDIAN
+#define MSG_BigShort( x ) ( x )
+#else
+static inline uint16_t MSG_BigShort( const uint16_t x )
+{
+	return (x >> 8) | (x << 8);
+}
+#endif
 
 // init writing
 void MSG_StartWriting( sizebuf_t *sb, void *pData, int nBytes, int iStartBit, int nBits );