diff --git a/vlib/rand/rand.v b/vlib/rand/rand.v
index 0d43086388..9bbf6498e6 100644
--- a/vlib/rand/rand.v
+++ b/vlib/rand/rand.v
@@ -505,6 +505,16 @@ pub fn seed(seed []u32) {
 	default_rng.seed(seed)
 }
 
+// u8 returns a uniformly distributed pseudorandom 8-bit unsigned positive `u8`.
+pub fn u8() u8 {
+	return default_rng.u8()
+}
+
+// u16 returns a uniformly distributed pseudorandom 16-bit unsigned positive `u16`.
+pub fn u16() u16 {
+	return default_rng.u16()
+}
+
 // u32 returns a uniformly distributed `u32` in range `[0, 2³²)`.
 pub fn u32() u32 {
 	return default_rng.u32()
@@ -550,11 +560,6 @@ pub fn intn(max int) !int {
 	return default_rng.intn(max)
 }
 
-// byte returns a uniformly distributed pseudorandom 8-bit unsigned positive `byte`.
-pub fn u8() u8 {
-	return default_rng.u8()
-}
-
 // int_in_range returns a uniformly distributed pseudorandom  32-bit signed int in range `[min, max)`.
 // Both `min` and `max` can be negative, but we must have `min < max`.
 pub fn int_in_range(min int, max int) !int {
diff --git a/vlib/rand/random_numbers_test.v b/vlib/rand/random_numbers_test.v
index fafec04f65..cf63b9b05b 100644
--- a/vlib/rand/random_numbers_test.v
+++ b/vlib/rand/random_numbers_test.v
@@ -192,6 +192,31 @@ fn test_rand_u8() {
 	assert all[0] != all[128]
 }
 
+fn test_rand_u16() {
+	mut all := []u16{}
+	mut same_as_previous := 0
+	mut previous := u16(0)
+	for _ in 0 .. 65536 {
+		x := rand.u16()
+		assert x >= 0
+		assert x <= 65535
+		all << x
+		if previous == x {
+			same_as_previous++
+			// dump(previous)
+			// dump(x)
+		}
+		previous = x
+	}
+	assert same_as_previous < 1000
+	all.sort(a < b)
+	assert all[0] != all[65535]
+	assert all[0] != all[32768]
+	// dump( all[0] )
+	// dump( all[65535] )
+	// dump( all[32768] )
+}
+
 const (
 	string_count = 25
 )