diff --git a/lib/bitcoin.py b/lib/bitcoin.py
index a2a79936b..c8e8ba04e 100644
--- a/lib/bitcoin.py
+++ b/lib/bitcoin.py
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ def int_to_hex(i, length=1):
 def var_int(i):
     if i<0xfd:
         return int_to_hex(i)
-    elif i<0xffff:
+    elif i<=0xffff:
         return "fd"+int_to_hex(i,2)
-    elif i<0xffffffff:
+    elif i<=0xffffffff:
         return "fe"+int_to_hex(i,4)
     else:
         return "ff"+int_to_hex(i,8)