diff --git a/src/bitstream.c b/src/bitstream.c
index a07bc4bf..fda948c2 100644
--- a/src/bitstream.c
+++ b/src/bitstream.c
@@ -216,16 +216,34 @@ void kvz_bitstream_clear(bitstream_t *const stream)
   kvz_bitstream_init(stream);
 }
 
+/**
+ * \brief Write a byte to a byte aligned bitstream
+ * \param stream  stream the data is to be appended to
+ * \param data  input data
+ */
+void kvz_bitstream_put_byte(bitstream_t *const stream, uint32_t data)
+{
+  assert(stream->cur_bit == 0);
+  const uint8_t emulation_prevention_three_byte = 0x03;
+
+  if ((stream->zerocount == 2) && (data < 4)) {
+    kvz_bitstream_writebyte(stream, emulation_prevention_three_byte);
+    stream->zerocount = 0;
+  }
+  stream->zerocount = data == 0 ? stream->zerocount + 1 : 0;
+  kvz_bitstream_writebyte(stream, data);
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Write bits to bitstream
- * \param stream pointer bitstream to put the data
- * \param data input data
- * \param bits number of bits to write from data to stream
+ *        Buffers individual bits untill they make a full byte.
+ * \param stream  stream the data is to be appended to
+ * \param data  input data
+ * \param bits  number of bits to write from data to stream
  */
 void kvz_bitstream_put(bitstream_t *const stream, const uint32_t data, uint8_t bits)
 {
-  const uint8_t emulation_prevention_three_byte = 0x03;
-  while(bits--) {
+  while (bits--) {
     stream->data <<= 1;
 
     if (data & kvz_bit_set_mask[bits]) {
@@ -234,18 +252,9 @@ void kvz_bitstream_put(bitstream_t *const stream, const uint32_t data, uint8_t b
     stream->cur_bit++;
 
     // write byte to output
-    if (stream->cur_bit==8) {
+    if (stream->cur_bit == 8) {
       stream->cur_bit = 0;
-      if((stream->zerocount == 2) && (stream->data < 4)) {
-        kvz_bitstream_writebyte(stream, emulation_prevention_three_byte);
-        stream->zerocount = 0;
-      }
-      if(stream->data == 0) {
-        stream->zerocount++;
-      } else {
-        stream->zerocount = 0;
-      }
-      kvz_bitstream_writebyte(stream, stream->data);
+      kvz_bitstream_put_byte(stream, stream->data);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/bitstream.h b/src/bitstream.h
index daa017f7..9b48098c 100644
--- a/src/bitstream.h
+++ b/src/bitstream.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ void kvz_bitstream_move(bitstream_t *dst, bitstream_t *src);
 void kvz_bitstream_clear(bitstream_t *stream);
 
 void kvz_bitstream_put(bitstream_t *stream, uint32_t data, uint8_t bits);
+void kvz_bitstream_put_byte(bitstream_t *const stream, const uint32_t data);
 /* Use macros to force inlining */
 #define bitstream_put_ue(stream, data) { kvz_bitstream_put(stream,kvz_g_exp_table[data].value,kvz_g_exp_table[data].len); }
 #define bitstream_put_se(stream, data) { uint32_t index=(uint32_t)(((data)<=0)?(-(data))<<1:((data)<<1)-1);    \
diff --git a/src/cabac.c b/src/cabac.c
index c4b639c9..893a8245 100644
--- a/src/cabac.c
+++ b/src/cabac.c
@@ -141,11 +141,11 @@ void kvz_cabac_write(cabac_data_t * const data)
       uint32_t carry = lead_byte >> 8;
       uint32_t byte = data->buffered_byte + carry;
       data->buffered_byte = lead_byte & 0xff;
-      kvz_bitstream_put(data->stream, byte, 8);
+      kvz_bitstream_put_byte(data->stream, byte);
 
       byte = (0xff + carry) & 0xff;
       while (data->num_buffered_bytes > 1) {
-        kvz_bitstream_put(data->stream, byte, 8);
+        kvz_bitstream_put_byte(data->stream, byte);
         data->num_buffered_bytes--;
       }
     } else {
@@ -163,18 +163,18 @@ void kvz_cabac_finish(cabac_data_t * const data)
   assert(data->bits_left <= 32);
 
   if (data->low >> (32 - data->bits_left)) {
-    kvz_bitstream_put(data->stream,data->buffered_byte + 1, 8);
+    kvz_bitstream_put_byte(data->stream, data->buffered_byte + 1);
     while (data->num_buffered_bytes > 1) {
-      kvz_bitstream_put(data->stream, 0, 8);
+      kvz_bitstream_put_byte(data->stream, 0);
       data->num_buffered_bytes--;
     }
     data->low -= 1 << (32 - data->bits_left);
   } else {
     if (data->num_buffered_bytes > 0) {
-      kvz_bitstream_put(data->stream,data->buffered_byte, 8);
+      kvz_bitstream_put_byte(data->stream, data->buffered_byte);
     }
     while (data->num_buffered_bytes > 1) {
-      kvz_bitstream_put(data->stream, 0xff, 8);
+      kvz_bitstream_put_byte(data->stream, 0xff);
       data->num_buffered_bytes--;
     }
   }