diff --git a/config.lib b/config.lib
index a33e450b02..98cdced7c0 100644
--- a/config.lib
+++ b/config.lib
@@ -1812,6 +1812,22 @@ EOL
 		fi
 	fi
 
+	log 2 "executing $cc_host $CFLAGS $LDFLAGS $STATIC_FLAGS -o tmp.config.bitmath-builtins -x c++ -"
+	"$cc_host" $CFLAGS $LDFLAGS $STATIC_FLAGS -o tmp.config.bitmath-builtins -x c++ - 2> /dev/null << EOL
+		int main() {
+			return __builtin_popcountll(__builtin_popcountl(__builtin_popcount(__builtin_ctz(1))));
+		}
+EOL
+	ret=$?
+	rm -f tmp.config.bitmath-builtins
+	log 2 "  exit code $ret"
+	if [ $ret -ne 0 ]; then
+		log 1 "checking bitmath builtins... no"
+	else
+		log 1 "checking bitmath builtins... found"
+		CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -DWITH_BITMATH_BUILTINS"
+	fi
+
 	if [ "$os" != "CYGWIN" ] && [ "$os" != "HAIKU" ] && [ "$os" != "MORPHOS" ] && [ "$os" != "OSX" ] && [ "$os" != "DOS" ] && [ "$os" != "WINCE" ] && [ "$os" != "PSP" ] && [ "$os" != "OS2" ]; then
 		log 2 "executing $cc_host $CFLAGS $LDFLAGS $STATIC_FLAGS -o tmp.config.demangle -x c++ - -lstdc++"
 		"$cc_host" $CFLAGS $LDFLAGS $STATIC_FLAGS -o tmp.config.demangle -x c++ - -lstdc++ 2> /dev/null << EOL
diff --git a/src/core/bitmath_func.cpp b/src/core/bitmath_func.cpp
index 7763227315..65188c9fd8 100644
--- a/src/core/bitmath_func.cpp
+++ b/src/core/bitmath_func.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 #include "../safeguards.h"
 
+#ifndef WITH_BITMATH_BUILTINS
+
 const uint8 _ffb_64[64] = {
 	0,  0,  1,  0,  2,  0,  1,  0,
 	3,  0,  1,  0,  2,  0,  1,  0,
@@ -53,6 +55,8 @@ uint8 FindFirstBit(uint32 x)
 	return pos;
 }
 
+#endif
+
 /**
  * Search the last set bit in a 64 bit variable.
  *
diff --git a/src/core/bitmath_func.hpp b/src/core/bitmath_func.hpp
index 31e679b005..6e39121563 100644
--- a/src/core/bitmath_func.hpp
+++ b/src/core/bitmath_func.hpp
@@ -185,6 +185,18 @@ static inline T ToggleBit(T &x, const uint8 y)
 	return x = (T)(x ^ ((T)1U << y));
 }
 
+#ifdef WITH_BITMATH_BUILTINS
+
+#define FIND_FIRST_BIT(x) FindFirstBit(x)
+
+inline uint8 FindFirstBit(uint32 x)
+{
+	if (x == 0) return 0;
+
+	return __builtin_ctz(x);
+}
+
+#else
 
 /** Lookup table to check which bit is set in a 6 bit variable */
 extern const uint8 _ffb_64[64];
@@ -201,6 +213,12 @@ extern const uint8 _ffb_64[64];
  */
 #define FIND_FIRST_BIT(x) _ffb_64[(x)]
 
+uint8 FindFirstBit(uint32 x);
+
+#endif
+
+uint8 FindLastBit(uint64 x);
+
 /**
  * Finds the position of the first non-zero bit in an integer.
  *
@@ -224,9 +242,6 @@ static inline uint8 FindFirstBit2x64(const int value)
 	}
 }
 
-uint8 FindFirstBit(uint32 x);
-uint8 FindLastBit(uint64 x);
-
 /**
  * Clear the first bit in an integer.
  *
@@ -252,6 +267,15 @@ static inline T KillFirstBit(T value)
 template <typename T>
 static inline uint CountBits(T value)
 {
+#ifdef WITH_BITMATH_BUILTINS
+	if (sizeof(T) == sizeof(unsigned int)) {
+		return __builtin_popcount(value);
+	} else if (sizeof(T) == sizeof(unsigned long)) {
+		return __builtin_popcountl(value);
+	} else {
+		return __builtin_popcountll(value);
+	}
+#else
 	uint num;
 
 	/* This loop is only called once for every bit set by clearing the lowest
@@ -264,6 +288,7 @@ static inline uint CountBits(T value)
 	}
 
 	return num;
+#endif
 }
 
 /**