diff --git a/src/d_netserver.h b/src/d_netserver.h
index 29acca84b1..c7e191390a 100644
--- a/src/d_netserver.h
+++ b/src/d_netserver.h
@@ -23,14 +23,6 @@
 
 #include "d_net.h"
 
-enum class NetPacketType
-{
-	ConnectRequest,
-	ConnectResponse,
-	Disconnect,
-	Tic
-};
-
 enum class NodeStatus
 {
 	Closed,
diff --git a/src/d_netsync.cpp b/src/d_netsync.cpp
index 793c23f5f7..23369d3f50 100644
--- a/src/d_netsync.cpp
+++ b/src/d_netsync.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "c_dispatch.h"
 #include "actor.h"
 #include "doomstat.h"
+#include "i_net.h"
 
 extern bool netserver, netclient;
 
diff --git a/src/d_netsync.h b/src/d_netsync.h
index 7dd531a1f9..9c7a486a49 100644
--- a/src/d_netsync.h
+++ b/src/d_netsync.h
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 #include "vectors.h"
 #include "r_data/renderstyle.h"
-#include "d_netserver.h"
 
 // Maximum size of the packets sent out by the server.
 #define	MAX_UDP_PACKET				8192
@@ -11,6 +10,16 @@
 // This is the longest possible string we can pass over the network.
 #define	MAX_NETWORK_STRING			2048
 
+enum class NetPacketType
+{
+	ConnectRequest,
+	ConnectResponse,
+	Disconnect,
+	Tic
+};
+
+class AActor;
+
 struct NetSyncData {
 	DVector3		Pos;
 	DVector3		Vel;
@@ -121,6 +130,8 @@ struct NETBUFFER_s
 	int				WriteTo( BYTESTREAM_s &ByteStream ) const;
 };
 
+struct NetPacket;
+
 /**
  * \author Benjamin Berkels
  */
diff --git a/src/i_net.h b/src/i_net.h
index ccea62bacb..090a250f44 100644
--- a/src/i_net.h
+++ b/src/i_net.h
@@ -2,13 +2,21 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <memory>
+#include "d_netsync.h"
 
 #define MAX_MSGLEN 14000
 #define DOOMPORT 5029
 
 struct NetPacket
 {
-	NetPacket() { memset(data, 0, sizeof(data)); }
+	NetPacket()
+	{
+		memset(data, 0, sizeof(data));
+		stream.pbStream = data;
+		stream.bitBuffer = NULL;
+		stream.bitShift = -1;
+		stream.pbStreamEnd = stream.pbStream + sizeof(data);
+	}
 
 	// packet data to be sent
 	uint8_t	data[MAX_MSGLEN];
@@ -21,6 +29,8 @@ struct NetPacket
 
 	uint8_t &operator[](int i) { return data[i]; }
 	const uint8_t &operator[](int i) const { return data[i]; }
+
+	BYTESTREAM_s stream;
 };
 
 // Network packet data.