diff --git a/dix/request_priv.h b/dix/request_priv.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ae3b88152
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dix/request_priv.h
@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT OR X11
+ *
+ * Copyright © 2024 Enrico Weigelt, metux IT consult <info@metux.net>
+ */
+#ifndef _XSERVER_DIX_REQUEST_PRIV_H
+#define _XSERVER_DIX_REQUEST_PRIV_H
+
+#include "dix.h"
+#include "dixstruct.h"
+
+/*
+ * byte-swapping macros for request handlers
+ *
+ * need a ClientPtr client field to be defined
+ *
+ * These could be further optimized by using a macro/inline instead of SwapShorts()
+ */
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD16_1(buf, a) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswaps((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD16_2(buf, a, b) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswaps((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD16_3(buf, a, b, c) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswaps((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->c, (buf)->c); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD16_4(buf, a, b, c, d) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswaps((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->c, (buf)->c); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->d, (buf)->d); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD16_5(buf, a, b, c, d, e) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswaps((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->c, (buf)->c); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->d, (buf)->d); \
+        cpswaps((buf)->e, (buf)->e); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD32_1(buf, a) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswapl((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD32_2(buf, a, b) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswapl((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD32_3(buf, a, b, c) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswapl((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->c, (buf)->c); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD32_4(buf, a, b, c, d) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswapl((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->c, (buf)->c); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->d, (buf)->d); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+#define CLIENT_STRUCT_CARD32_5(buf, a, b, c, d, e) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        cpswapl((buf)->a, (buf)->a); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->b, (buf)->b); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->c, (buf)->c); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->d, (buf)->d); \
+        cpswapl((buf)->e, (buf)->e); \
+    } } while (0)
+
+/*
+ * macros for request handlers
+ *
+ * these are handling request packet checking and swapping of multi-byte
+ * values, if necessary.
+ */
+
+/* declare request struct and check size. length already must have been swapped */
+#define REQUEST_HEAD_STRUCT(type) \
+    REQUEST(type); \
+    if (stuff == NULL) return (BadLength); \
+    REQUEST_FIELD_CARD16(length); \
+    REQUEST_SIZE_MATCH(type);
+
+/* declare request struct and check size. length already must have been swapped */
+#define REQUEST_HEAD_STRUCT_32L(type) \
+    REQUEST(type); \
+    if (stuff == NULL) return (BadLength); \
+    REQUEST_FIELD_CARD32(length); \
+    REQUEST_SIZE_MATCH(type);
+
+/* declare request struct and check size (at least as big). length already must have been swapped */
+#define REQUEST_HEAD_AT_LEAST(type) \
+    REQUEST(type); \
+    if (stuff == NULL) return (BadLength); \
+    REQUEST_AT_LEAST_SIZE(type); \
+    REQUEST_FIELD_CARD16(length);
+
+/* declare request struct, do NOT check size !*/
+#define REQUEST_HEAD_NO_CHECK(type) \
+    REQUEST(type); \
+    if (stuff == NULL) return (BadLength); \
+    REQUEST_FIELD_CARD16(length);
+
+/* swap a CARD16 request struct field if necessary */
+#define REQUEST_FIELD_CARD16(field) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) swaps(&stuff->field); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a CARD32 request struct field if necessary */
+#define REQUEST_FIELD_CARD32(field) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) swapl(&stuff->field); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a CARD64 request struct field if necessary */
+#define REQUEST_FIELD_CARD64(field) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) swapll(&stuff->field); } while (0)
+
+/* swap CARD16 rest of request (after the struct) */
+#define REQUEST_REST_CARD16() \
+    do { if (client->swapped) SwapRestS(stuff); } while (0)
+
+/* swap CARD32 rest of request (after the struct) */
+#define REQUEST_REST_CARD32() \
+    do { if (client->swapped) SwapRestL(stuff); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a buffer of CARD16's */
+#define REQUEST_BUF_CARD16(buf, count) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) SwapShorts((short*) buf, count); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a buffer of CARD32's */
+#define REQUEST_BUF_CARD32(buf, count) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) SwapLongs((CARD32*) buf, count); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a CARD16 field (if necessary) in reply struct */
+#define REPLY_FIELD_CARD16(field) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) swaps(&rep.field); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a CARD32 field (if necessary) in reply struct */
+#define REPLY_FIELD_CARD32(field) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) swapl(&rep.field); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a CARD64 field (if necessary) in reply struct */
+#define REPLY_FIELD_CARD64(field) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) swapll(&rep.field); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a buffer of CARD16's */
+#define REPLY_BUF_CARD16(buf, count) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) SwapShorts((short*) buf, count); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a buffer of CARD32's */
+#define REPLY_BUF_CARD32(buf, count) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) SwapLongs((CARD32*) buf, count); } while (0)
+
+/* swap a buffer of CARD64's */
+#define REPLY_BUF_CARD64(buf, count) \
+    do { if (client->swapped) { \
+        CARD64* ____b = (CARD64*)buf; \
+        for (int ____i=0; ____i<count; ____i++) { \
+            swapll(&____b[____i]); } } } while (0)
+
+static inline int ClientReplySend(ClientPtr client, xGenericReply *reply, size_t len) {
+    reply->type = X_Reply;
+    reply->sequenceNumber = client->sequence;
+    if (client->swapped) {
+        swaps(&(reply->sequenceNumber));
+        swapl(&(reply->length));
+    }
+    WriteToClient(client, len, reply);
+    return Success;
+}
+
+// internal - don't use it anywhere outside this header
+static inline int __abovezero(int x) {
+    return (x > 0 ? x : 0);
+}
+
+/* intentionally having this inline, so the compiler has good chance
+   for optimizations */
+static inline int ClientReplySendX(ClientPtr client,
+                                  xGenericReply *reply,
+                                  size_t len,
+                                  const void *data1,
+                                  size_t data1_len,
+                                  const void *data2,
+                                  size_t data2_len
+) {
+    data1_len = __abovezero(data1_len);
+    data2_len = __abovezero(data1_len);
+    reply->length = bytes_to_int32(
+        __abovezero(len + data1_len + data2_len - sizeof(xGenericReply)));
+    reply->type = X_Reply;
+    reply->sequenceNumber = client->sequence;
+    if (client->swapped) {
+        swaps(&(reply->sequenceNumber));
+        swapl(&(reply->length));
+    }
+    WriteToClient(client, len, reply);
+    if (data1_len && data1)
+        WriteToClient(client, data1_len, data1);
+    if (data2_len && data2)
+        WriteToClient(client, data2_len, data2);
+    return Success;
+}
+
+#define REPLY_SEND() (ClientReplySend(client, (xGenericReply*)&rep, sizeof(rep)))
+
+/* send a reply (fix up some fields) and return Success */
+#define REPLY_SEND_RET_SUCCESS() \
+    do { return REPLY_SEND(); } while (0)
+
+/* send a reply with extra data - also settings the length field */
+#define REPLY_SEND_EXTRA(data1, len1) \
+    do { return ClientReplySendX(client, (xGenericReply*)&rep, \
+                                 sizeof(rep), data1, len1, NULL, 0); \
+    } while (0)
+
+/* send a reply with extra data - also settings the length field */
+#define REPLY_SEND_EXTRA_2(data1, len1, data2, len2) \
+    do { return ClientReplySendX(client, (xGenericReply*)&rep, \
+                                 sizeof(rep), data1, len1, data2, len2); \
+    } while (0)
+
+/* Declare a SProc*Dispatch function, which swaps the length field
+   (in order to make size check macros work) and then calls the real
+   dispatcher. The swapping of payload fields must be done in the
+   real dispatcher (if necessary) - use REQUEST_FIELD_*() macros there.
+*/
+#define DECLARE_SWAPPED_DISPATCH(_name,_dispatch) \
+    static int _X_COLD _name(ClientPtr client) { \
+        REQUEST(xReq); \
+        return _dispatch(client); \
+    }
+
+#define DECLARE_SWAPPED_DISPATCH_EXTERN(_name,_dispatch) \
+    int _X_COLD _name(ClientPtr client) { \
+        REQUEST(xReq); \
+        return _dispatch(client); \
+    }
+
+#endif /* _XSERVER_DIX_REQUEST_PRIV_H */