diff --git a/kmod/src/kvec.c b/kmod/src/kvec.c
index 349e55b6..5e49c6a3 100644
--- a/kmod/src/kvec.c
+++ b/kmod/src/kvec.c
@@ -258,6 +258,36 @@ void scoutfs_kvec_set_max_key(struct kvec *kvec)
 	scoutfs_kvec_init(kvec, type, 1);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Increase the kvec as though it is a big endian value.  Carry
+ * increments of the least significant byte as long as it wraps.
+ */
+void scoutfs_kvec_be_inc(struct kvec *kvec)
+{
+	int i;
+	int b;
+
+	for (i = SCOUTFS_KVEC_NR - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+		for (b = (int)kvec[i].iov_len - 1; b >= 0; b--) {
+			if (++((u8 *)kvec[i].iov_base)[b])
+				return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+void scoutfs_kvec_be_dec(struct kvec *kvec)
+{
+	int i;
+	int b;
+
+	for (i = SCOUTFS_KVEC_NR - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+		for (b = (int)kvec[i].iov_len - 1; b >= 0; b--) {
+			if (--((u8 *)kvec[i].iov_base)[b] != 0xff)
+				return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  * Clone the source kvec into the dst if the dst is empty or if
  * the src kvec is less than the dst.
diff --git a/kmod/src/kvec.h b/kmod/src/kvec.h
index 93ddcd36..444a8116 100644
--- a/kmod/src/kvec.h
+++ b/kmod/src/kvec.h
@@ -68,5 +68,7 @@ void scoutfs_kvec_set_max_key(struct kvec *kvec);
 void scoutfs_kvec_clone_less(struct kvec *dst, struct kvec *src);
 unsigned scoutfs_kvec_key_strlen(struct kvec *key);
 void scoutfs_kvec_key_sprintf(char *buf, struct kvec *key);
+void scoutfs_kvec_be_inc(struct kvec *kvec);
+void scoutfs_kvec_be_dec(struct kvec *kvec);
 
 #endif