diff --git a/src/drivers/bitbash/bitbash.c b/src/drivers/bitbash/bitbash.c
index 270c1b92..92abe1a7 100644
--- a/src/drivers/bitbash/bitbash.c
+++ b/src/drivers/bitbash/bitbash.c
@@ -48,8 +48,10 @@ void write_bit ( struct bit_basher *basher, unsigned int bit_id,
  * @v bit_id		Bit number
  * @ret data		Value read
  *
- * @c data will always be either 0 or 1.
+ * @c data will always be either 0 or -1UL.  The idea is that the
+ * caller can simply binary-AND the returned value with whatever mask
+ * it needs to apply.
  */
 int read_bit ( struct bit_basher *basher, unsigned int bit_id ) {
-	return ( basher->read ( basher, bit_id ) ? 1 : 0 );
+	return ( basher->read ( basher, bit_id ) ? -1UL : 0 );
 }
diff --git a/src/drivers/bitbash/i2c_bit.c b/src/drivers/bitbash/i2c_bit.c
index 9524d631..cc73968b 100644
--- a/src/drivers/bitbash/i2c_bit.c
+++ b/src/drivers/bitbash/i2c_bit.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ static uint8_t i2c_recv_byte ( struct bit_basher *basher ) {
 	/* Receive byte */
 	for ( i = 8 ; i ; i-- ) {
 		value <<= 1;
-		value |= i2c_recv_bit ( basher );
+		value |= ( i2c_recv_bit ( basher ) & 0x1 );
 	}
 
 	/* Send NACK */
diff --git a/src/include/gpxe/i2c.h b/src/include/gpxe/i2c.h
index e282810b..bfaee8fb 100644
--- a/src/include/gpxe/i2c.h
+++ b/src/include/gpxe/i2c.h
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ struct i2c_bit_basher {
 
 /** Bit indices used for I2C bit-bashing interface */
 enum {
+	/** Serial clock */
 	I2C_BIT_SCL = 0,
+	/** Serial data */
 	I2C_BIT_SDA,
 };