diff --git a/src/serialize.h b/src/serialize.h
index 5c2db9d33..378ed3907 100644
--- a/src/serialize.h
+++ b/src/serialize.h
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ I ReadVarInt(Stream& is)
 
 #define FLATDATA(obj) REF(CFlatData((char*)&(obj), (char*)&(obj) + sizeof(obj)))
 #define VARINT(obj) REF(WrapVarInt(REF(obj)))
+#define COMPACTSIZE(obj) REF(CCompactSize(REF(obj)))
 #define LIMITED_STRING(obj,n) REF(LimitedString< n >(REF(obj)))
 
 /** 
@@ -443,6 +444,28 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+class CCompactSize
+{
+protected:
+    uint64_t &n;
+public:
+    CCompactSize(uint64_t& nIn) : n(nIn) { }
+
+    unsigned int GetSerializeSize(int, int) const {
+        return GetSizeOfCompactSize(n);
+    }
+
+    template<typename Stream>
+    void Serialize(Stream &s, int, int) const {
+        WriteCompactSize<Stream>(s, n);
+    }
+
+    template<typename Stream>
+    void Unserialize(Stream& s, int, int) {
+        n = ReadCompactSize<Stream>(s);
+    }
+};
+
 template<size_t Limit>
 class LimitedString
 {