diff --git a/stasis/page/compression/compression.h b/stasis/page/compression/compression.h
index 33d6b2a..f485748 100644
--- a/stasis/page/compression/compression.h
+++ b/stasis/page/compression/compression.h
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
-#include <limits.h>
-
 #ifndef _ROSE_COMPRESSION_COMPRESSION_H__
 #define _ROSE_COMPRESSION_COMPRESSION_H__
 
+#include <limits.h>
+#define  __STDC_LIMIT_MACROS 1
+#include <stdint.h>
+#ifndef UINT16_MAX // XXX should be defined in stdint.h.
+#define UINT16_MAX             (65535)
+#endif
+
 namespace rose {
 
 typedef int8_t record_size_t;
@@ -14,9 +19,10 @@ typedef uint16_t column_offset_t;
 typedef uint64_t epoch_t;
 
 static const record_size_t VARIABLE_SIZE =  CHAR_MAX;
-static const slot_index_t  NOSPACE       =  USHRT_MAX; //UINT_MAX;
-static const slot_index_t  EXCEPTIONAL   =  USHRT_MAX-1;//UINT_MAX-1;
-static const slot_index_t  MAX_INDEX     =  USHRT_MAX-2;//UINT_MAX-2;
+
+static const slot_index_t  NOSPACE       =  UINT16_MAX;
+static const slot_index_t  EXCEPTIONAL   =  UINT16_MAX-1;
+static const slot_index_t  MAX_INDEX     =  UINT16_MAX-2;
 static const slot_index_t  INVALID_COL   =  UCHAR_MAX;
 /**
    This function computes a page type (an integer stored in the page header)
diff --git a/stasis/page/compression/rle.h b/stasis/page/compression/rle.h
index c5e91fd..e0e94f1 100644
--- a/stasis/page/compression/rle.h
+++ b/stasis/page/compression/rle.h
@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@ template <class TYPE>
 class Rle {
 
  public:
-  typedef uint32_t block_index_t;
-  typedef uint16_t copy_count_t;
+  /** XXX this stuff is performance critical; should be template param.*/
+  typedef byte_off_t block_index_t;
+  typedef uint8_t copy_count_t;
+  static const copy_count_t MAX_COPY_COUNT = UCHAR_MAX;
+
   typedef TYPE TYP;
 
-  static const copy_count_t MAX_COPY_COUNT = USHRT_MAX;
 
   struct triple_t {
     slot_index_t index;