diff --git a/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.c b/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.c
index d17f2882b..fd049b973 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.c
+++ b/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.c
@@ -229,3 +229,63 @@ dfu_utils_bytes_is_empty (GBytes *bytes)
 	}
 	return TRUE;
 }
+
+/**
+ * dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8:
+ * @data: a string
+ *
+ * Parses a base 16 number from a string.
+ *
+ * The string MUST be at least 2 bytes long as this function cannot check the
+ * length of @data. Checking the size must be done in the caller.
+ *
+ * Return value: A parsed value, or 0 for error
+ **/
+guint8
+dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8 (const gchar *data)
+{
+	gchar buffer[3];
+	memcpy (buffer, data, 2);
+	buffer[2] = '\0';
+	return (guint8) g_ascii_strtoull (buffer, NULL, 16);
+}
+
+/**
+ * dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint16:
+ * @data: a string
+ *
+ * Parses a base 16 number from a string.
+ *
+ * The string MUST be at least 4 bytes long as this function cannot check the
+ * length of @data. Checking the size must be done in the caller.
+ *
+ * Return value: A parsed value, or 0 for error
+ **/
+guint16
+dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint16 (const gchar *data)
+{
+	gchar buffer[5];
+	memcpy (buffer, data, 4);
+	buffer[4] = '\0';
+	return (guint16) g_ascii_strtoull (buffer, NULL, 16);
+}
+
+/**
+ * dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint32:
+ * @data: a string
+ *
+ * Parses a base 16 number from a string.
+ *
+ * The string MUST be at least 8 bytes long as this function cannot check the
+ * length of @data. Checking the size must be done in the caller.
+ *
+ * Return value: A parsed value, or 0 for error
+ **/
+guint32
+dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint32 (const gchar *data)
+{
+	gchar buffer[9];
+	memcpy (buffer, data, 8);
+	buffer[8] = '\0';
+	return (guint32) g_ascii_strtoull (buffer, NULL, 16);
+}
diff --git a/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.h b/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.h
index 4b29a787e..da7191c71 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.h
+++ b/plugins/dfu/dfu-common.h
@@ -190,6 +190,9 @@ const gchar	*dfu_version_to_string			(DfuVersion	 version);
 /* helpers */
 GBytes		*dfu_utils_bytes_join_array		(GPtrArray	*chunks);
 gboolean	 dfu_utils_bytes_is_empty		(GBytes		*bytes);
+guint8		 dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8		(const gchar	*data);
+guint16		 dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint16		(const gchar	*data);
+guint32		 dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint32		(const gchar	*data);
 
 G_END_DECLS
 
diff --git a/plugins/dfu/dfu-format-ihex.c b/plugins/dfu/dfu-format-ihex.c
index 720330e76..e8de38628 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/dfu-format-ihex.c
+++ b/plugins/dfu/dfu-format-ihex.c
@@ -51,33 +51,6 @@ dfu_firmware_detect_ihex (GBytes *bytes)
 	return DFU_FIRMWARE_FORMAT_INTEL_HEX;
 }
 
-static guint8
-dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint8 (const gchar *data, guint pos)
-{
-	gchar buffer[3];
-	memcpy (buffer, data + pos, 2);
-	buffer[2] = '\0';
-	return (guint8) g_ascii_strtoull (buffer, NULL, 16);
-}
-
-static guint16
-dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint16 (const gchar *data, guint pos)
-{
-	gchar buffer[5];
-	memcpy (buffer, data + pos, 4);
-	buffer[4] = '\0';
-	return (guint16) g_ascii_strtoull (buffer, NULL, 16);
-}
-
-static guint32
-dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint32 (const gchar *data, guint pos)
-{
-	gchar buffer[9];
-	memcpy (buffer, data + pos, 8);
-	buffer[8] = '\0';
-	return (guint32) g_ascii_strtoull (buffer, NULL, 16);
-}
-
 #define	DFU_INHX32_RECORD_TYPE_DATA		0x00
 #define	DFU_INHX32_RECORD_TYPE_EOF		0x01
 #define	DFU_INHX32_RECORD_TYPE_EXTENDED		0x04
@@ -154,9 +127,9 @@ dfu_firmware_from_ihex (DfuFirmware *firmware,
 		}
 
 		/* length, 16-bit address, type */
-		len_tmp = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint8 (in_buffer, offset+1);
-		addr_low = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint16 (in_buffer, offset+3);
-		type = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint8 (in_buffer, offset+7);
+		len_tmp = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8 (in_buffer + offset + 1);
+		addr_low = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint16 (in_buffer + offset + 3);
+		type = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8 (in_buffer + offset + 7);
 
 		/* position of checksum */
 		end = offset + 9 + len_tmp * 2;
@@ -173,7 +146,7 @@ dfu_firmware_from_ihex (DfuFirmware *firmware,
 		if ((flags & DFU_FIRMWARE_PARSE_FLAG_NO_CRC_TEST) == 0) {
 			checksum = 0;
 			for (guint i = offset + 1; i < end + 2; i += 2) {
-				data_tmp = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint8 (in_buffer, i);
+				data_tmp = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8 (in_buffer + i);
 				checksum += data_tmp;
 			}
 			if (checksum != 0)  {
@@ -227,7 +200,7 @@ dfu_firmware_from_ihex (DfuFirmware *firmware,
 					}
 				}
 				/* write into buf */
-				data_tmp = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint8 (in_buffer, i);
+				data_tmp = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8 (in_buffer + i);
 				g_string_append_c (string, (gchar) data_tmp);
 				addr32_last = addr32++;
 			}
@@ -244,15 +217,15 @@ dfu_firmware_from_ihex (DfuFirmware *firmware,
 			got_eof = TRUE;
 			break;
 		case DFU_INHX32_RECORD_TYPE_EXTENDED:
-			addr_high = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint16 (in_buffer, offset+9);
+			addr_high = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint16 (in_buffer + offset + 9);
 			addr32 = ((guint32) addr_high << 16) + addr_low;
 			break;
 		case DFU_INHX32_RECORD_TYPE_ADDR32:
-			addr32 = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint32 (in_buffer, offset+9);
+			addr32 = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint32 (in_buffer + offset + 9);
 			break;
 		case DFU_INHX32_RECORD_TYPE_SIGNATURE:
 			for (guint i = offset + 9; i < end; i += 2) {
-				guint8 tmp_c = dfu_firmware_ihex_parse_uint8 (in_buffer, i);
+				guint8 tmp_c = dfu_utils_buffer_parse_uint8 (in_buffer + i);
 				g_string_append_c (signature, tmp_c);
 			}
 			break;