diff --git a/src/target/riscv/riscv.c b/src/target/riscv/riscv.c
index fa07fe821..50535e266 100644
--- a/src/target/riscv/riscv.c
+++ b/src/target/riscv/riscv.c
@@ -2813,6 +2813,14 @@ static unsigned riscv_xlen_nonconst(struct target *target)
 	return riscv_xlen(target);
 }
 
+static unsigned int riscv_data_bits(struct target *target)
+{
+	RISCV_INFO(r);
+	if (r->data_bits)
+		return r->data_bits(target);
+	return riscv_xlen(target);
+}
+
 struct target_type riscv_target = {
 	.name = "riscv",
 
@@ -2857,6 +2865,7 @@ struct target_type riscv_target = {
 	.commands = riscv_command_handlers,
 
 	.address_bits = riscv_xlen_nonconst,
+	.data_bits = riscv_data_bits
 };
 
 /*** RISC-V Interface ***/
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 39a07ad6c..63f68ebab 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -1506,6 +1506,13 @@ unsigned target_address_bits(struct target *target)
 	return 32;
 }
 
+unsigned int target_data_bits(struct target *target)
+{
+	if (target->type->data_bits)
+		return target->type->data_bits(target);
+	return 32;
+}
+
 static int target_profiling(struct target *target, uint32_t *samples,
 			uint32_t max_num_samples, uint32_t *num_samples, uint32_t seconds)
 {
@@ -2402,10 +2409,13 @@ static int target_write_buffer_default(struct target *target,
 	target_addr_t address, uint32_t count, const uint8_t *buffer)
 {
 	uint32_t size;
+	unsigned int data_bytes = target_data_bits(target) / 8;
 
-	/* Align up to maximum 4 bytes. The loop condition makes sure the next pass
+	/* Align up to maximum bytes. The loop condition makes sure the next pass
 	 * will have something to do with the size we leave to it. */
-	for (size = 1; size < 4 && count >= size * 2 + (address & size); size *= 2) {
+	for (size = 1;
+			size < data_bytes && count >= size * 2 + (address & size);
+			size *= 2) {
 		if (address & size) {
 			int retval = target_write_memory(target, address, size, 1, buffer);
 			if (retval != ERROR_OK)
@@ -2463,10 +2473,13 @@ int target_read_buffer(struct target *target, target_addr_t address, uint32_t si
 static int target_read_buffer_default(struct target *target, target_addr_t address, uint32_t count, uint8_t *buffer)
 {
 	uint32_t size;
+	unsigned int data_bytes = target_data_bits(target) / 8;
 
-	/* Align up to maximum 4 bytes. The loop condition makes sure the next pass
+	/* Align up to maximum bytes. The loop condition makes sure the next pass
 	 * will have something to do with the size we leave to it. */
-	for (size = 1; size < 4 && count >= size * 2 + (address & size); size *= 2) {
+	for (size = 1;
+			size < data_bytes && count >= size * 2 + (address & size);
+			size *= 2) {
 		if (address & size) {
 			int retval = target_read_memory(target, address, size, 1, buffer);
 			if (retval != ERROR_OK)
diff --git a/src/target/target.h b/src/target/target.h
index d86c63eb0..18a9516f5 100644
--- a/src/target/target.h
+++ b/src/target/target.h
@@ -684,6 +684,13 @@ target_addr_t target_address_max(struct target *target);
  */
 unsigned target_address_bits(struct target *target);
 
+/**
+ * Return the number of data bits this target supports.
+ *
+ * This routine is a wrapper for target->type->data_bits.
+ */
+unsigned int target_data_bits(struct target *target);
+
 /** Return the *name* of this targets current state */
 const char *target_state_name(struct target *target);
 
diff --git a/src/target/target_type.h b/src/target/target_type.h
index cc51c0401..cf30cf8cc 100644
--- a/src/target/target_type.h
+++ b/src/target/target_type.h
@@ -295,6 +295,11 @@ struct target_type {
 	 * typically be 32 for 32-bit targets, and 64 for 64-bit targets. If not
 	 * implemented, it's assumed to be 32. */
 	unsigned (*address_bits)(struct target *target);
+
+	/* Return the number of system bus data bits this target supports. This
+	 * will typically be 32 for 32-bit targets, and 64 for 64-bit targets. If
+	 * not implemented, it's assumed to be 32. */
+	unsigned int (*data_bits)(struct target *target);
 };
 
 #endif /* OPENOCD_TARGET_TARGET_TYPE_H */