diff --git a/lib/packing.c b/lib/packing.c
index 439125286d2b..435236a914fe 100644
--- a/lib/packing.c
+++ b/lib/packing.c
@@ -9,27 +9,6 @@
 #include <linux/types.h>
 #include <linux/bitrev.h>
 
-static int get_le_offset(int offset)
-{
-	int closest_multiple_of_4;
-
-	closest_multiple_of_4 = (offset / 4) * 4;
-	offset -= closest_multiple_of_4;
-	return closest_multiple_of_4 + (3 - offset);
-}
-
-static int get_reverse_lsw32_offset(int offset, size_t len)
-{
-	int closest_multiple_of_4;
-	int word_index;
-
-	word_index = offset / 4;
-	closest_multiple_of_4 = word_index * 4;
-	offset -= closest_multiple_of_4;
-	word_index = (len / 4) - word_index - 1;
-	return word_index * 4 + offset;
-}
-
 static void adjust_for_msb_right_quirk(u64 *to_write, int *box_start_bit,
 				       int *box_end_bit, u8 *box_mask)
 {
@@ -47,6 +26,48 @@ static void adjust_for_msb_right_quirk(u64 *to_write, int *box_start_bit,
 	*box_end_bit   = new_box_end_bit;
 }
 
+/**
+ * calculate_box_addr - Determine physical location of byte in buffer
+ * @box: Index of byte within buffer seen as a logical big-endian big number
+ * @len: Size of buffer in bytes
+ * @quirks: mask of QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST and QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN
+ *
+ * Function interprets the buffer as a @len byte sized big number, and returns
+ * the physical offset of the @box logical octet within it. Internally, it
+ * treats the big number as groups of 4 bytes. If @len is not a multiple of 4,
+ * the last group may be shorter.
+ *
+ * @QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST gives the ordering of groups of 4 octets relative to
+ * each other. If set, the most significant group of 4 octets is last in the
+ * buffer (and may be truncated if @len is not a multiple of 4).
+ *
+ * @QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN gives the ordering of bytes within each group of 4.
+ * If set, the most significant byte is last in the group. If @len takes the
+ * form of 4k+3, the last group will only be able to represent 24 bits, and its
+ * most significant octet is byte 2.
+ *
+ * Return: the physical offset into the buffer corresponding to the logical box.
+ */
+static int calculate_box_addr(int box, size_t len, u8 quirks)
+{
+	size_t offset_of_group, offset_in_group, this_group = box / 4;
+	size_t group_size;
+
+	if (quirks & QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST)
+		offset_of_group = this_group * 4;
+	else
+		offset_of_group = len - ((this_group + 1) * 4);
+
+	group_size = min(4, len - offset_of_group);
+
+	if (quirks & QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN)
+		offset_in_group = box - this_group * 4;
+	else
+		offset_in_group = group_size - (box - this_group * 4) - 1;
+
+	return offset_of_group + offset_in_group;
+}
+
 /**
  * packing - Convert numbers (currently u64) between a packed and an unpacked
  *	     format. Unpacked means laid out in memory in the CPU's native
@@ -157,12 +178,7 @@ int packing(void *pbuf, u64 *uval, int startbit, int endbit, size_t pbuflen,
 		 * effective addressing inside the pbuf (so it's not
 		 * logical any longer).
 		 */
-		box_addr = pbuflen - box - 1;
-		if (quirks & QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN)
-			box_addr = get_le_offset(box_addr);
-		if (quirks & QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST)
-			box_addr = get_reverse_lsw32_offset(box_addr,
-							    pbuflen);
+		box_addr = calculate_box_addr(box, pbuflen, quirks);
 
 		if (op == UNPACK) {
 			u64 pval;
diff --git a/Documentation/core-api/packing.rst b/Documentation/core-api/packing.rst
index 3ed13bc9a195..821691f23c54 100644
--- a/Documentation/core-api/packing.rst
+++ b/Documentation/core-api/packing.rst
@@ -151,6 +151,77 @@ the more significant 4-byte word.
 We always think of our offsets as if there were no quirk, and we translate
 them afterwards, before accessing the memory region.
 
+Note on buffer lengths not multiple of 4
+----------------------------------------
+
+To deal with memory layout quirks where groups of 4 bytes are laid out "little
+endian" relative to each other, but "big endian" within the group itself, the
+concept of groups of 4 bytes is intrinsic to the packing API (not to be
+confused with the memory access, which is performed byte by byte, though).
+
+With buffer lengths not multiple of 4, this means one group will be incomplete.
+Depending on the quirks, this may lead to discontinuities in the bit fields
+accessible through the buffer. The packing API assumes discontinuities were not
+the intention of the memory layout, so it avoids them by effectively logically
+shortening the most significant group of 4 octets to the number of octets
+actually available.
+
+Example with a 31 byte sized buffer given below. Physical buffer offsets are
+implicit, and increase from left to right within a group, and from top to
+bottom within a column.
+
+No quirks:
+
+::
+
+            31         29         28        |   Group 7 (most significant)
+ 27         26         25         24        |   Group 6
+ 23         22         21         20        |   Group 5
+ 19         18         17         16        |   Group 4
+ 15         14         13         12        |   Group 3
+ 11         10          9          8        |   Group 2
+  7          6          5          4        |   Group 1
+  3          2          1          0        |   Group 0 (least significant)
+
+QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST:
+
+::
+
+  3          2          1          0        |   Group 0 (least significant)
+  7          6          5          4        |   Group 1
+ 11         10          9          8        |   Group 2
+ 15         14         13         12        |   Group 3
+ 19         18         17         16        |   Group 4
+ 23         22         21         20        |   Group 5
+ 27         26         25         24        |   Group 6
+ 30         29         28                   |   Group 7 (most significant)
+
+QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN:
+
+::
+
+            30         28         29        |   Group 7 (most significant)
+ 24         25         26         27        |   Group 6
+ 20         21         22         23        |   Group 5
+ 16         17         18         19        |   Group 4
+ 12         13         14         15        |   Group 3
+  8          9         10         11        |   Group 2
+  4          5          6          7        |   Group 1
+  0          1          2          3        |   Group 0 (least significant)
+
+QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN | QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST:
+
+::
+
+  0          1          2          3        |   Group 0 (least significant)
+  4          5          6          7        |   Group 1
+  8          9         10         11        |   Group 2
+ 12         13         14         15        |   Group 3
+ 16         17         18         19        |   Group 4
+ 20         21         22         23        |   Group 5
+ 24         25         26         27        |   Group 6
+ 28         29         30                   |   Group 7 (most significant)
+
 Intended use
 ------------
 
