diff --git a/src/_imaging.c b/src/_imaging.c
index 59f80a35415..520e5079346 100644
--- a/src/_imaging.c
+++ b/src/_imaging.c
@@ -1578,7 +1578,17 @@ if (PySequence_Check(op)) { \
                 int bigendian = 0;
                 if (image->type == IMAGING_TYPE_SPECIAL) {
                     // I;16*
-                    bigendian = strcmp(image->mode, "I;16B") == 0;
+                    if (strcmp(image->mode, "I;16N") == 0) {
+#ifdef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+                        bigendian = 1;
+#else
+                        bigendian = 0;
+#endif
+                    } else if (strcmp(image->mode, "I;16B") == 0) {
+                        bigendian = 1;
+                    } else {
+                        bigendian = 0;
+                    }
                 }
                 for (i = x = y = 0; i < n; i++) {
                     set_value_to_item(seq, i);