diff --git a/libcelt/entenc.c b/libcelt/entenc.c
index d322dae9..94201327 100644
--- a/libcelt/entenc.c
+++ b/libcelt/entenc.c
@@ -215,6 +215,31 @@ void ec_enc_bits(ec_enc *_this,ec_uint32 _fl,unsigned _bits){
   _this->nbits_total+=_bits;
 }
 
+int ec_enc_patch_initial_bits(ec_enc *_this,unsigned _val,int _nbits){
+   int      shift;
+   unsigned mask;
+   if(_nbits<0||_nbits>EC_SYM_BITS)return -1;
+   shift=EC_SYM_BITS-_nbits;
+   mask=(1<<_nbits)-1<<shift;
+   if(_this->offs>0){
+     /*The first byte has been finalized.*/
+     _this->buf[0]=(unsigned char)(_this->buf[0]&~mask|_val<<shift);
+   }
+   else if(_this->rem>=0){
+     /*The first byte is still awaiting carry propagation.*/
+     _this->rem=_this->rem&~mask|_val<<shift;
+   }
+   else if(_this->rng<=EC_CODE_TOP>>shift){
+     /*The renormalization loop has never been run.*/
+     _this->val=_this->val&~((ec_uint32)mask<<EC_CODE_SHIFT)|
+      (ec_uint32)_val<<EC_CODE_SHIFT+shift;
+   }
+   /*The encoder hasn't even encoded _nbits of data yet.*/
+   else return -1;
+   /*Success!*/
+   return 0;
+}
+
 void ec_enc_shrink(ec_enc *_this,ec_uint32 _size){
   celt_assert(_this->offs+_this->end_offs<=_size);
   CELT_MOVE(_this->buf+_size-_this->end_offs,