+ return -1;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Decode the integer value of an environment variable and return it.
+ *
+ * @param name Name of environemnt variable
+ * @param base Number base to use (normally 10, or 16 for hex)
+ * @param default_val Default value to return if the variable is not
+ * found
+ * @return the decoded value, or default_val if not found
+ */
+ulong getenv_ulong(const char *name, int base, ulong default_val)
+{
+ /*
+ * We can use getenv() here, even before relocation, since the
+ * environment variable value is an integer and thus short.
+ */
+ const char *str = getenv(name);
+
+ return str ? simple_strtoul(str, NULL, base) : default_val;