diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3ecfd5a9..204a0707 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ if(WITH_TESTS)
       metadata_requirements_test
       options_test
       packed_int_vector_test
+      packed_ptr_test
       pcm_sample_transformer_test
       pcmaudio_categorizer_test
       speedometer_test
diff --git a/include/dwarfs/internal/packed_ptr.h b/include/dwarfs/internal/packed_ptr.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..632ccec0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/dwarfs/internal/packed_ptr.h
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/* vim:set ts=2 sw=2 sts=2 et: */
+/**
+ * \author     Marcus Holland-Moritz (github@mhxnet.de)
+ * \copyright  Copyright (c) Marcus Holland-Moritz
+ *
+ * This file is part of dwarfs.
+ *
+ * dwarfs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * dwarfs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with dwarfs.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <concepts>
+#include <cstddef>
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <type_traits>
+
+namespace dwarfs::internal {
+
+namespace detail {
+
+template <typename T>
+struct underlying_type {
+  using type = T;
+};
+
+// specialization for enums
+template <typename T>
+  requires std::is_enum_v<T>
+struct underlying_type<T> {
+  using type = std::underlying_type_t<T>;
+};
+
+} // namespace detail
+
+template <typename T, size_t DataBits = 3, typename DataType = unsigned>
+class packed_ptr {
+ public:
+  using data_type = DataType;
+  static constexpr size_t data_bits = DataBits;
+  static constexpr size_t data_mask = (1 << data_bits) - 1;
+
+  static_assert(
+      std::unsigned_integral<typename detail::underlying_type<data_type>::type>,
+      "data_type must be an unsigned integer type");
+
+  explicit packed_ptr(T* p = nullptr, data_type data = {})
+      : p_(build_packed_ptr(p, data)) {}
+
+  void set(T* p) { p_ = build_packed_ptr(p, get_data()); }
+  T* get() const { return reinterpret_cast<T*>(p_ & ~data_mask); }
+
+  T* operator->() const { return get(); }
+  T& operator*() const { return *get(); }
+  T& operator[](std::ptrdiff_t i) const { return get()[i]; }
+
+  data_type get_data() const { return static_cast<data_type>(p_ & data_mask); }
+  void set_data(data_type data) { p_ = build_packed_ptr(get(), data); }
+
+ private:
+  static uintptr_t build_packed_ptr(T* p, data_type data) {
+    auto value = reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(p);
+    auto data_value = static_cast<uintptr_t>(data);
+    if (value & data_mask) {
+      throw std::invalid_argument("pointer is not aligned");
+    }
+    if (data_value & ~data_mask) {
+      throw std::invalid_argument("data out of bounds");
+    }
+    return value | data_value;
+  }
+
+  uintptr_t p_;
+};
+
+} // namespace dwarfs::internal
diff --git a/test/packed_ptr_test.cpp b/test/packed_ptr_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6eca7084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/packed_ptr_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/* vim:set ts=2 sw=2 sts=2 et: */
+/**
+ * \author     Marcus Holland-Moritz (github@mhxnet.de)
+ * \copyright  Copyright (c) Marcus Holland-Moritz
+ *
+ * This file is part of dwarfs.
+ *
+ * dwarfs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * dwarfs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with dwarfs.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <gmock/gmock.h>
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include <dwarfs/internal/packed_ptr.h>
+
+using namespace dwarfs::internal;
+
+TEST(packed_ptr, initialize) {
+  {
+    packed_ptr<uint32_t> pp;
+
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), nullptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), 0);
+  }
+
+  {
+    alignas(8) uint32_t i = 42;
+    packed_ptr<uint32_t> pp(&i);
+
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), &i);
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), 0);
+  }
+
+  {
+    packed_ptr<uint32_t> pp(nullptr, 0x7);
+
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), nullptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), 0x7);
+  }
+
+  {
+    alignas(8) uint32_t i = 42;
+    packed_ptr<uint32_t> pp(&i, 0x7);
+
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), &i);
+    EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), 0x7);
+    EXPECT_EQ(*pp, 42);
+  }
+
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      [] { packed_ptr<uint32_t> pp(nullptr, 0x8); },
+      testing::ThrowsMessage<std::invalid_argument>("data out of bounds"));
+
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      [] {
+        packed_ptr<uint32_t> pp(reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(0x100004), 0x7);
+      },
+      testing::ThrowsMessage<std::invalid_argument>("pointer is not aligned"));
+}
+
+TEST(packed_ptr, integral) {
+  using ptr_type = std::pair<int32_t, float>;
+  packed_ptr<ptr_type, 2, uint8_t> pp;
+
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp.get_data()), uint8_t>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp.get()), ptr_type*>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(*pp), ptr_type&>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp[10]), ptr_type&>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp->first), int>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp->second), float>);
+
+  alignas(4) ptr_type p = {42, 2.0f};
+  pp.set(&p);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), &p);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp->first, 42);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp->second, 2.0f);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp[0].first, 42);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp[0].second, 2.0f);
+
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      [&] { pp.set_data(0x4); },
+      testing::ThrowsMessage<std::invalid_argument>("data out of bounds"));
+
+  pp.set_data(0x3);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), &p);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), 0x3);
+
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      [&] { pp.set(reinterpret_cast<ptr_type*>(0x100001)); },
+      testing::ThrowsMessage<std::invalid_argument>("pointer is not aligned"));
+}
+
+TEST(packed_ptr, enumeration) {
+  using ptr_type = std::pair<int32_t, float>;
+  enum class test_enum : unsigned { A = 1, B, C, D };
+  packed_ptr<ptr_type, 2, test_enum> pp;
+
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp.get_data()), test_enum>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp.get()), ptr_type*>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(*pp), ptr_type&>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp[10]), ptr_type&>);
+  static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(pp->first), int>);
+
+  alignas(4) ptr_type p = {42, 2.0f};
+  pp.set(&p);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), &p);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), static_cast<test_enum>(0));
+
+  pp.set_data(test_enum::B);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get(), &p);
+  EXPECT_EQ(pp.get_data(), test_enum::B);
+
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      [&] { pp.set_data(test_enum::D); },
+      testing::ThrowsMessage<std::invalid_argument>("data out of bounds"));
+}