diff --git a/include/proto/stream_interface.h b/include/proto/stream_interface.h
index 2f6a7a5..64aa9af 100644
--- a/include/proto/stream_interface.h
+++ b/include/proto/stream_interface.h
@@ -138,6 +138,20 @@
 	si->state = si->prev_state = state;
 }
 
+/* returns a bit for a stream-int state, to match against SI_SB_* */
+static inline enum si_state_bit si_state_bit(enum si_state state)
+{
+	BUG_ON(state < SI_ST_INI || state > SI_ST_CLO);
+	return 1U << state;
+}
+
+/* returns true if <state> matches one of the SI_SB_* bits in <mask> */
+static inline int si_state_in(enum si_state state, enum si_state_bit mask)
+{
+	BUG_ON(mask & ~SI_SB_ALL);
+	return !!(si_state_bit(state) & mask);
+}
+
 /* only detaches the endpoint from the SI, which means that it's set to
  * NULL and that ->ops is mapped to si_embedded_ops. The previous endpoint
  * is returned.
diff --git a/include/types/stream_interface.h b/include/types/stream_interface.h
index e11a6c9..86df1d2 100644
--- a/include/types/stream_interface.h
+++ b/include/types/stream_interface.h
@@ -43,6 +43,22 @@
 	SI_ST_CLO,               /* stream intf closed, might not existing anymore. Buffers shut. */
 } __attribute__((packed));
 
+/* state bits for use with lists of states */
+enum si_state_bit {
+	SI_SB_NONE = 0,
+	SI_SB_INI = 1U << SI_ST_INI,
+	SI_SB_REQ = 1U << SI_ST_REQ,
+	SI_SB_QUE = 1U << SI_ST_QUE,
+	SI_SB_TAR = 1U << SI_ST_TAR,
+	SI_SB_ASS = 1U << SI_ST_ASS,
+	SI_SB_CON = 1U << SI_ST_CON,
+	SI_SB_CER = 1U << SI_ST_CER,
+	SI_SB_EST = 1U << SI_ST_EST,
+	SI_SB_DIS = 1U << SI_ST_DIS,
+	SI_SB_CLO = 1U << SI_ST_CLO,
+	SI_SB_ALL = SI_SB_INI|SI_SB_REQ|SI_SB_QUE|SI_SB_TAR|SI_SB_ASS|SI_SB_CON|SI_SB_CER|SI_SB_EST|SI_SB_DIS|SI_SB_CLO,
+};
+
 /* error types reported on the streams interface for more accurate reporting */
 enum {
 	SI_ET_NONE       = 0x0000,  /* no error yet, leave it to zero */