diff --git a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Backend.hs b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Backend.hs
index 928b69f14a..c7441f0bb3 100644
--- a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Backend.hs
+++ b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Backend.hs
@@ -44,3 +44,7 @@ class Backend state where
   expr             :: Bool -> Expr -> State state Doc
   -- | Bit-width of Int/Word/Integer
   iwWidth          :: State state Int
+  -- | Convert to a bit-vector
+  toBV             :: HWType -> Text -> State state Doc
+  -- | Convert from a bit-vector
+  fromBV           :: HWType -> Text -> State state Doc
diff --git a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Parser.hs b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Parser.hs
index 59245888d6..b4887769a3 100644
--- a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Parser.hs
+++ b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Parser.hs
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ pTagE =  O                 <$  pToken "~RESULT"
      <|> SigD              <$> (pToken "~SIGD" *> pBrackets pSigD) <*> (Just <$> (pBrackets pNatural))
      <|> (`SigD` Nothing)  <$> (pToken "~SIGDO" *> pBrackets pSigD)
      <|> IW64              <$  pToken "~IW64"
+     <|> (BV True)         <$> (pToken "~TOBV" *> pBrackets pSigD) <*> (Just <$> pBrackets pNatural)
+     <|> (BV True)         <$> (pToken "~TOBVO" *> pBrackets pSigD) <*> pure Nothing
+     <|> (BV False)        <$> (pToken "~FROMBV" *> pBrackets pSigD) <*> (Just <$> pBrackets pNatural)
+     <|> (BV False)        <$> (pToken "~FROMBVO" *> pBrackets pSigD) <*> pure Nothing
 
 -- | Parse a bracketed text
 pBrackets :: Parser a -> Parser a
@@ -102,7 +106,9 @@ pElemE = pTagE
 
 -- | Parse SigD
 pSigD :: Parser [Element]
-pSigD = pSome (pTagE <|> pLimitedText)
+pSigD = pSome (pTagE <|> pLimitedText
+                     <|> (C <$> (pack <$> pToken "[ "))
+                     <|> (C <$> (pack <$> pToken " ]")))
 
 -- | Text excluding square brackets and tilde
 pLimitedText :: Parser Element
diff --git a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Types.hs b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Types.hs
index 39ddf19056..489f225823 100644
--- a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Types.hs
+++ b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Types.hs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ data Element = C   !Text         -- ^ Constant
              | IF !Element [Element] [Element]
              | IW64              -- ^ Hole indicating whether Int/Word/Integer
                                  -- are 64-Bit
+             | BV Bool [Element] (Maybe Int) -- ^ Convert to (True)/from(False) a bit-vector
              | SigD [Element] !(Maybe Int)
   deriving Show
 
diff --git a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Util.hs b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Util.hs
index ae9d05171e..37ffaa5988 100644
--- a/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Util.hs
+++ b/clash-lib/src/CLaSH/Netlist/BlackBox/Util.hs
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ setSym i l
                       D (Decl n l') -> D <$> (Decl n <$> mapM (combineM setSym' setSym') l')
                       IF c t f      -> IF <$> pure c <*> setSym' t <*> setSym' f
                       SigD e' m     -> SigD <$> (setSym' e') <*> pure m
+                      BV t e' m     -> BV <$> pure t <*> setSym' e' <*> pure m
                       _             -> pure e
               )
 
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ setClocks bc bt = mapM setClocks' bt
     setClocks' (D (Decl n l)) = D <$> (Decl n <$> mapM (combineM (setClocks bc) (setClocks bc)) l)
     setClocks' (IF c t f)     = IF <$> pure c <*> setClocks bc t <*> setClocks bc f
     setClocks' (SigD e m)     = SigD <$> (setClocks bc e) <*> pure m
+    setClocks' (BV t e m)     = BV <$> pure t <*> setClocks bc e <*> pure m
 
     setClocks' (Clk Nothing)  = let (clk,rate) = clkSyncId $ fst $ bbResult bc
                                     clkName    = Text.append clk (Text.pack (show rate))
@@ -261,6 +263,24 @@ renderTag b (L n)           = let (s,_,_) = bbInputs b !! n
     mkLit i                               = i
 
 renderTag _ (Sym n)         = return $ Text.pack ("n_" ++ show n)
+
+renderTag b (BV True es (Just n)) = do
+  e' <- Text.concat <$> mapM (renderElem b) es
+  let (_,hty,_) = bbInputs b !! n
+  (displayT . renderOneLine) <$> toBV hty e'
+renderTag b (BV True es Nothing) = do
+  e' <- Text.concat <$> mapM (renderElem b) es
+  let (_,hty) = bbResult b
+  (displayT . renderOneLine) <$> toBV hty e'
+renderTag b (BV False es (Just n)) = do
+  e' <- Text.concat <$> mapM (renderElem b) es
+  let (_,hty,_) = bbInputs b !! n
+  (displayT . renderOneLine) <$> fromBV hty e'
+renderTag b (BV False es Nothing) = do
+  e' <- Text.concat <$> mapM (renderElem b) es
+  let (_,hty) = bbResult b
+  (displayT . renderOneLine) <$> fromBV hty e'
+
 renderTag b (Typ Nothing)   = fmap (displayT . renderOneLine) . hdlType . snd $ bbResult b
 renderTag b (Typ (Just n))  = let (_,ty,_) = bbInputs b !! n
                               in  (displayT . renderOneLine) <$> hdlType ty
diff --git a/clash-systemverilog/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json b/clash-systemverilog/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json
index 9ce8c354d9..f3851a51b1 100644
--- a/clash-systemverilog/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json
+++ b/clash-systemverilog/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json
@@ -11,21 +11,30 @@
            -> Signal' clk a"
     , "templateD" :
 "// blockRam begin
-~SIGD[RAM_~SYM[0]][2];
-~SIGD[dout_~SYM[1]][6];
+typedef logic [~SIZE[~TYPO]-1:0] RAM_array_~SYM[4] [0:~LENGTH[~TYP[2]]-1];
+RAM_array_~SYM[4] RAM_~SYM[0];
+logic [~SIZE[~TYPO]-1:0] dout_~SYM[1];
+
+function RAM_array_~SYM[4] init_to_bv_~SYM[2];
+  input ~SIGD[value][2];
+  begin
+    for (int i_~SYM[3]=0; i_~SYM[3]<~LENGTH[~TYP[2]]; i_~SYM[3]=i_~SYM[3]+1)
+      init_to_bv_~SYM[2][i_~SYM[3]] = ~TOBV[value[ i_~SYM[3] ]][6];
+  end
+endfunction
 
 initial begin
-  ~SYM[0] = ~LIT[3];
+  RAM_~SYM[0] = init_to_bv_~SYM[2](~LIT[2]);
 end
 
 always @(posedge ~CLK[1]) begin : blockRam_~COMPNAME_~SYM[3]
   if (~ARG[5]) begin
-    RAM_~SYM[0][~ARG[3]] <= ~ARG[6];
+    RAM_~SYM[0][~ARG[3]] <= ~TOBV[~ARG[6]][6];
   end
   dout_~SYM[1] <= RAM_~SYM[0][~ARG[4]];
 end
 
-assign ~RESULT = dout_~SYM[1];
+assign ~RESULT = ~FROMBV[dout_~SYM[1]][6];
 // blockRam end"
     }
   }
diff --git a/clash-systemverilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/SystemVerilog.hs b/clash-systemverilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/SystemVerilog.hs
index f3623efb1d..9cba447ca0 100644
--- a/clash-systemverilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/SystemVerilog.hs
+++ b/clash-systemverilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/SystemVerilog.hs
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ instance Backend SystemVerilogState where
   inst            = inst_
   expr            = expr_
   iwWidth         = use intWidth
+  toBV hty id_    = verilogTypeMark hty <> "_to_lv" <> parens (text id_)
+  fromBV hty id_  = fromSLV hty id_ (typeSize hty - 1) 0
 
 type SystemVerilogM a = State SystemVerilogState a
 
diff --git a/clash-verilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/Verilog.hs b/clash-verilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/Verilog.hs
index 6b333ee069..dc364f4a31 100644
--- a/clash-verilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/Verilog.hs
+++ b/clash-verilog/src/CLaSH/Backend/Verilog.hs
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ instance Backend VerilogState where
   inst            = inst_
   expr            = expr_
   iwWidth         = use intWidth
+  toBV _          = text
+  fromBV _        = text
 
 type VerilogM a = State VerilogState a
 
diff --git a/clash-vhdl/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json b/clash-vhdl/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json
index 47d6ca5b25..e179da0c35 100644
--- a/clash-vhdl/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json
+++ b/clash-vhdl/primitives/CLaSH.Prelude.BlockRam.json
@@ -12,8 +12,19 @@
     , "templateD" :
 "-- blockRam begin
 blockRam_~COMPNAME_~SYM[0] : block
-  signal RAM_~SYM[1]  : ~TYP[2] := ~LIT[2];
-  signal dout_~SYM[2] : ~TYP[6];
+  type RamType is array(natural range <>) of std_logic_vector(~SIZE[~TYPO]-1 downto 0);
+
+  function init_to_bv (arg : in ~TYP[2]) return RamType is
+    variable RAM_init : RamType(0 to ~LENGTH[~TYP[2]]-1);
+  begin
+    for i in RAM_init'range loop
+      RAM_init(i) := ~TOBV[arg(i)][6];
+    end loop;
+    return RAM_init;
+  end function;
+
+  signal RAM_~SYM[1]  : RamType (0 to ~LENGTH[~TYP[2]]-1) := init_to_bv(~LIT[2]);
+  signal dout_~SYM[2] : std_logic_vector(~SIZE[~TYP[6]]-1 downto 0);
   signal wr_~SYM[3]   : integer range 0 to ~LIT[0] - 1;
   signal rd_~SYM[4]   : integer range 0 to ~LIT[0] - 1;
 begin
@@ -33,13 +44,13 @@ begin
   begin
     if rising_edge(~CLK[1]) then
       if ~ARG[5] then
-        RAM_~SYM[1](wr_~SYM[3]) <= ~ARG[6];
+        RAM_~SYM[1](wr_~SYM[3]) <= ~TOBV[~ARG[6]][6];
       end if;
       dout_~SYM[2] <= RAM_~SYM[1](rd_~SYM[4]);
     end if;
   end process;
 
-  ~RESULT <= dout_~SYM[2];
+  ~RESULT <= ~FROMBVO[dout_~SYM[2]];
 end block;
 -- blockRam end"
     }
diff --git a/clash-vhdl/src/CLaSH/Backend/VHDL.hs b/clash-vhdl/src/CLaSH/Backend/VHDL.hs
index efa715a8bd..a614f1250d 100644
--- a/clash-vhdl/src/CLaSH/Backend/VHDL.hs
+++ b/clash-vhdl/src/CLaSH/Backend/VHDL.hs
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ instance Backend VHDLState where
   inst            = inst_
   expr            = expr_
   iwWidth         = use intWidth
+  toBV _ id_      = "toSLV" <> parens (text id_)
+  fromBV hty id_  = fromSLV hty id_ (typeSize hty - 1) 0
 
 type VHDLM a = State VHDLState a