diff --git a/src/suricata-common.h b/src/suricata-common.h
index 7fbe4f31f2..c6bf0d16c7 100644
--- a/src/suricata-common.h
+++ b/src/suricata-common.h
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@
 #define MAX(x, y) (((x)<(y))?(y):(x))
 #endif
 
+#define BIT_U8(n)  ((uint8_t)(1 << (n)))
 #define BIT_U16(n) ((uint16_t)(1 << (n)))
 #define BIT_U32(n) (1UL  << (n))
 #define BIT_U64(n) (1ULL << (n))