diff --git a/simgear/misc/stdint.hxx b/simgear/misc/stdint.hxx
index 94fbd60a..49e5817d 100644
--- a/simgear/misc/stdint.hxx
+++ b/simgear/misc/stdint.hxx
@@ -56,21 +56,42 @@ typedef int ssize_t;
 
 
 inline uint16_t sg_bswap_16(uint16_t x) {
+#if defined(__llvm__) || \
+ (__GNUC__ > 4 || (__GNUC__ == 4 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 3)) && !defined(__ICC)
+    return __builtin_bswap16(x);
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER) && !defined(_DEBUG)
+   return _byteswap_ushort(x);
+#else
     x = (x >> 8) | (x << 8);
     return x;
+#endif
 }
 
 inline uint32_t sg_bswap_32(uint32_t x) {
+#if defined(__llvm__) || \
+ (__GNUC__ > 4 || (__GNUC__ == 4 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 3)) && !defined(__ICC)
+    return __builtin_bswap32(x);
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER) && !defined(_DEBUG)
+   return _byteswap_ulong(x);
+#else
     x = ((x >>  8) & 0x00FF00FFL) | ((x <<  8) & 0xFF00FF00L);
     x = (x >> 16) | (x << 16);
     return x;
+#endif
 }
 
 inline uint64_t sg_bswap_64(uint64_t x) {
+#if defined(__llvm__) || \
+ (__GNUC__ > 4 || (__GNUC__ == 4 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 3)) && !defined(__ICC)
+   return __builtin_bswap64(x);
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER) && !defined(_DEBUG)
+   return _byteswap_uint64(x);
+#else
     x = ((x >>  8) & 0x00FF00FF00FF00FFLL) | ((x <<  8) & 0xFF00FF00FF00FF00LL);
     x = ((x >> 16) & 0x0000FFFF0000FFFFLL) | ((x << 16) & 0xFFFF0000FFFF0000LL);
     x = (x >> 32) | (x << 32);
     return x;
+#endif
 }