diff --git a/kernel/calc.cc b/kernel/calc.cc
index 9b02a6e30..a7de08f89 100644
--- a/kernel/calc.cc
+++ b/kernel/calc.cc
@@ -601,6 +601,14 @@ RTLIL::Const RTLIL::const_pos(const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const&, boo
 	return arg1_ext;
 }
 
+RTLIL::Const RTLIL::const_buf(const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const&, bool signed1, bool, int result_len)
+{
+	RTLIL::Const arg1_ext = arg1;
+	extend_u0(arg1_ext, result_len, signed1);
+
+	return arg1_ext;
+}
+
 RTLIL::Const RTLIL::const_neg(const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const&, bool signed1, bool, int result_len)
 {
 	RTLIL::Const arg1_ext = arg1;
diff --git a/kernel/cellaigs.cc b/kernel/cellaigs.cc
index 5dda4503f..de0a49394 100644
--- a/kernel/cellaigs.cc
+++ b/kernel/cellaigs.cc
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ Aig::Aig(Cell *cell)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (cell->type.in(ID($not), ID($_NOT_), ID($pos), ID($_BUF_)))
+	if (cell->type.in(ID($not), ID($_NOT_), ID($pos), ID($buf), ID($_BUF_)))
 	{
 		for (int i = 0; i < GetSize(cell->getPort(ID::Y)); i++) {
 			int A = mk.inport(ID::A, i);
diff --git a/kernel/celledges.cc b/kernel/celledges.cc
index 09cdfd55b..0fbe17c56 100644
--- a/kernel/celledges.cc
+++ b/kernel/celledges.cc
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ PRIVATE_NAMESPACE_END
 
 bool YOSYS_NAMESPACE_PREFIX AbstractCellEdgesDatabase::add_edges_from_cell(RTLIL::Cell *cell)
 {
-	if (cell->type.in(ID($not), ID($pos))) {
+	if (cell->type.in(ID($not), ID($pos), ID($buf))) {
 		bitwise_unary_op(this, cell);
 		return true;
 	}
diff --git a/kernel/celltypes.h b/kernel/celltypes.h
index fde6624e1..9868827e6 100644
--- a/kernel/celltypes.h
+++ b/kernel/celltypes.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ struct CellTypes
 	void setup_internals_eval()
 	{
 		std::vector<RTLIL::IdString> unary_ops = {
-			ID($not), ID($pos), ID($neg),
+			ID($not), ID($pos), ID($buf), ID($neg),
 			ID($reduce_and), ID($reduce_or), ID($reduce_xor), ID($reduce_xnor), ID($reduce_bool),
 			ID($logic_not), ID($slice), ID($lut), ID($sop)
 		};
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ struct CellTypes
 			type = ID($shl);
 
 		if (type != ID($sshr) && type != ID($sshl) && type != ID($shr) && type != ID($shl) && type != ID($shift) && type != ID($shiftx) &&
-				type != ID($pos) && type != ID($neg) && type != ID($not)) {
+				type != ID($pos) && type != ID($buf) && type != ID($neg) && type != ID($not)) {
 			if (!signed1 || !signed2)
 				signed1 = false, signed2 = false;
 		}
@@ -381,6 +381,7 @@ struct CellTypes
 		HANDLE_CELL_TYPE(modfloor)
 		HANDLE_CELL_TYPE(pow)
 		HANDLE_CELL_TYPE(pos)
+		HANDLE_CELL_TYPE(buf)
 		HANDLE_CELL_TYPE(neg)
 #undef HANDLE_CELL_TYPE
 
diff --git a/kernel/qcsat.cc b/kernel/qcsat.cc
index aaee984fb..c9d00efa1 100644
--- a/kernel/qcsat.cc
+++ b/kernel/qcsat.cc
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ void QuickConeSat::prepare()
 
 int QuickConeSat::cell_complexity(RTLIL::Cell *cell)
 {
-	if (cell->type.in(ID($concat), ID($slice), ID($pos), ID($_BUF_)))
+	if (cell->type.in(ID($concat), ID($slice), ID($pos), ID($buf), ID($_BUF_)))
 		return 0;
 	if (cell->type.in(ID($not), ID($and), ID($or), ID($xor), ID($xnor),
 			ID($reduce_and), ID($reduce_or), ID($reduce_xor),
diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.cc b/kernel/rtlil.cc
index d62736e15..96ded993d 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.cc
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.cc
@@ -1108,6 +1108,13 @@ namespace {
 					cell->type.begins_with("$verific$") || cell->type.begins_with("$array:") || cell->type.begins_with("$extern:"))
 				return;
 
+			if (cell->type == ID($buf)) {
+				port(ID::A, param(ID::WIDTH));
+				port(ID::Y, param(ID::WIDTH));
+				check_expected();
+				return;
+			}
+
 			if (cell->type.in(ID($not), ID($pos), ID($neg))) {
 				param_bool(ID::A_SIGNED);
 				port(ID::A, param(ID::A_WIDTH));
@@ -2493,6 +2500,23 @@ DEF_METHOD(ReduceBool, 1, ID($reduce_bool))
 DEF_METHOD(LogicNot,   1, ID($logic_not))
 #undef DEF_METHOD
 
+#define DEF_METHOD(_func, _y_size, _type) \
+	RTLIL::Cell* RTLIL::Module::add ## _func(RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_y, bool /* is_signed */, const std::string &src) { \
+		RTLIL::Cell *cell = addCell(name, _type);           \
+		cell->parameters[ID::WIDTH] = sig_a.size();         \
+		cell->setPort(ID::A, sig_a);                        \
+		cell->setPort(ID::Y, sig_y);                        \
+		cell->set_src_attribute(src);                       \
+		return cell;                                        \
+	} \
+	RTLIL::SigSpec RTLIL::Module::_func(RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, bool is_signed, const std::string &src) { \
+		RTLIL::SigSpec sig_y = addWire(NEW_ID, _y_size);    \
+		add ## _func(name, sig_a, sig_y, is_signed, src);   \
+		return sig_y;                                       \
+	}
+DEF_METHOD(Buf, sig_a.size(), ID($buf))
+#undef DEF_METHOD
+
 #define DEF_METHOD(_func, _y_size, _type) \
 	RTLIL::Cell* RTLIL::Module::add ## _func(RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_b, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_y, bool is_signed, const std::string &src) { \
 		RTLIL::Cell *cell = addCell(name, _type);           \
@@ -3654,9 +3678,9 @@ void RTLIL::Cell::fixup_parameters(bool set_a_signed, bool set_b_signed)
 			type.begins_with("$verific$") || type.begins_with("$array:") || type.begins_with("$extern:"))
 		return;
 
-	if (type == ID($mux) || type == ID($pmux) || type == ID($bmux)) {
+	if (type == ID($buf) || type == ID($mux) || type == ID($pmux) || type == ID($bmux)) {
 		parameters[ID::WIDTH] = GetSize(connections_[ID::Y]);
-		if (type != ID($mux))
+		if (type != ID($buf) && type != ID($mux))
 			parameters[ID::S_WIDTH] = GetSize(connections_[ID::S]);
 		check();
 		return;
diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.h b/kernel/rtlil.h
index 319198711..ba01c6a1b 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.h
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.h
@@ -503,6 +503,7 @@ namespace RTLIL
 	RTLIL::Const const_pow         (const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const &arg2, bool signed1, bool signed2, int result_len);
 
 	RTLIL::Const const_pos         (const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const &arg2, bool signed1, bool signed2, int result_len);
+	RTLIL::Const const_buf         (const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const &arg2, bool signed1, bool signed2, int result_len);
 	RTLIL::Const const_neg         (const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const &arg2, bool signed1, bool signed2, int result_len);
 
 	RTLIL::Const const_mux         (const RTLIL::Const &arg1, const RTLIL::Const &arg2, const RTLIL::Const &arg3);
@@ -1280,6 +1281,7 @@ public:
 
 	RTLIL::Cell* addNot (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_y, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
 	RTLIL::Cell* addPos (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_y, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
+	RTLIL::Cell* addBuf (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_y, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
 	RTLIL::Cell* addNeg (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_y, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
 
 	RTLIL::Cell* addAnd  (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_b, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_y, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
@@ -1414,6 +1416,7 @@ public:
 
 	RTLIL::SigSpec Not (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
 	RTLIL::SigSpec Pos (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
+	RTLIL::SigSpec Buf (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
 	RTLIL::SigSpec Neg (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
 
 	RTLIL::SigSpec And  (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_b, bool is_signed = false, const std::string &src = "");
diff --git a/kernel/satgen.cc b/kernel/satgen.cc
index a6db78868..946343c63 100644
--- a/kernel/satgen.cc
+++ b/kernel/satgen.cc
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ bool SatGen::importCell(RTLIL::Cell *cell, int timestep)
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	if (cell->type.in(ID($pos), ID($neg)))
+	if (cell->type.in(ID($pos), ID($buf), ID($neg)))
 	{
 		std::vector<int> a = importDefSigSpec(cell->getPort(ID::A), timestep);
 		std::vector<int> y = importDefSigSpec(cell->getPort(ID::Y), timestep);
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ bool SatGen::importCell(RTLIL::Cell *cell, int timestep)
 
 		std::vector<int> yy = model_undef ? ez->vec_var(y.size()) : y;
 
-		if (cell->type == ID($pos)) {
+		if (cell->type.in(ID($pos), ID($buf))) {
 			ez->assume(ez->vec_eq(a, yy));
 		} else {
 			std::vector<int> zero(a.size(), ez->CONST_FALSE);
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ bool SatGen::importCell(RTLIL::Cell *cell, int timestep)
 			std::vector<int> undef_y = importUndefSigSpec(cell->getPort(ID::Y), timestep);
 			extendSignalWidthUnary(undef_a, undef_y, cell);
 
-			if (cell->type == ID($pos)) {
+			if (cell->type.in(ID($pos), ID($buf))) {
 				ez->assume(ez->vec_eq(undef_a, undef_y));
 			} else {
 				int undef_any_a = ez->expression(ezSAT::OpOr, undef_a);
diff --git a/techlibs/common/simlib.v b/techlibs/common/simlib.v
index 5bbad34f6..5593cfe0e 100644
--- a/techlibs/common/simlib.v
+++ b/techlibs/common/simlib.v
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ endgenerate
 
 endmodule
 
-
 // --------------------------------------------------------
 
 //  |---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|
@@ -88,6 +87,25 @@ endmodule
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------
 
+//  |---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|
+//-
+//-     $buf (A, Y)
+//-
+//- A simple coarse-grain buffer cell type.
+//-
+module \$buf (A, Y);
+
+parameter WIDTH = 0;
+
+input [WIDTH-1:0] A;
+output [WIDTH-1:0] Y;
+
+assign Y = A;
+
+endmodule
+
+// --------------------------------------------------------
+
 //  |---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|---v---|
 //-
 //-     $neg (A, Y)