diff --git a/lib/isc/buffer.c b/lib/isc/buffer.c
index 44d5477736..06ee057a10 100644
--- a/lib/isc/buffer.c
+++ b/lib/isc/buffer.c
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ isc_buffer_used(isc_buffer_t *b, isc_region_t *r) {
 	r->length = b->used;
 }
 
+unsigned int
+isc_buffer_usedcount(isc_buffer_t *b)
+{
+	REQUIRE(VALID_BUFFER(b));
+
+	return (b->used);
+}
+
 void
 isc_buffer_available(isc_buffer_t *b, isc_region_t *r) {
 	/*
@@ -117,6 +125,13 @@ isc_buffer_available(isc_buffer_t *b, isc_region_t *r) {
 	r->length = b->length - b->used;
 }
 
+unsigned int
+isc_buffer_availablecount(isc_buffer_t *b)
+{
+	REQUIRE(VALID_BUFFER(b));
+
+	return (b->length - b->used);
+}
 
 void
 isc_buffer_add(isc_buffer_t *b, unsigned int n) {
diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/buffer.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/buffer.h
index b5efecf0a7..0a8f7c3621 100644
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/buffer.h
+++ b/lib/isc/include/isc/buffer.h
@@ -141,8 +141,6 @@ struct isc_buffer {
 	isc_mem_t	       *mctx;
 };
 
-typedef ISC_LIST(isc_buffer_t) isc_bufferlist_t;
-
 /***
  *** Functions
  ***/
@@ -248,6 +246,16 @@ isc_buffer_used(isc_buffer_t *b, isc_region_t *r);
  *	'r' points to a region structure.
  */
 
+unsigned int
+isc_buffer_usedcount(isc_buffer_t *b);
+/*
+ * Return the size of the used region of buffer 'b'
+ *
+ * Requires:
+ *
+ *	'b' is a valid buffer.
+ */
+
 void
 isc_buffer_available(isc_buffer_t *b, isc_region_t *r);
 /*
@@ -260,6 +268,16 @@ isc_buffer_available(isc_buffer_t *b, isc_region_t *r);
  *	'r' points to a region structure.
  */
 
+unsigned int
+isc_buffer_availablecount(isc_buffer_t *b);
+/*
+ * Return the size of the available region of buffer 'b'
+ *
+ * Requires:
+ *
+ *	'b' is a valid buffer.
+ */
+
 void
 isc_buffer_add(isc_buffer_t *b, unsigned int n);
 /*