diff --git a/src/common/alignment.c b/src/common/alignment.c
index 593926db5..ff5d11261 100644
--- a/src/common/alignment.c
+++ b/src/common/alignment.c
@@ -178,3 +178,11 @@ unsigned long AlignAddr (unsigned long Addr, unsigned long Alignment)
 
 
 
+unsigned long AlignCount (unsigned long Addr, unsigned long Alignment)
+/* Calculate how many bytes must be inserted to align Addr to Alignment */
+{
+    return AlignAddr (Addr, Alignment) - Addr;
+}
+
+
+
diff --git a/src/common/alignment.h b/src/common/alignment.h
index 15f44a368..a8d4c384d 100644
--- a/src/common/alignment.h
+++ b/src/common/alignment.h
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ unsigned long LeastCommonMultiple (unsigned long Left, unsigned long Right);
  */
 
 unsigned long AlignAddr (unsigned long Addr, unsigned long Alignment);
-/* Align an address to the given alignment */
+/* Align an address to the given alignment */                               
+
+unsigned long AlignCount (unsigned long Addr, unsigned long Alignment);
+/* Calculate how many bytes must be inserted to align Addr to Alignment */