diff --git a/core/include/kernel_defines.h b/core/include/kernel_defines.h
index df26784ea1..f52830e669 100644
--- a/core/include/kernel_defines.h
+++ b/core/include/kernel_defines.h
@@ -63,6 +63,16 @@ extern "C" {
         ((TYPE *) ((char *) (PTR) - offsetof(TYPE, MEMBER)))
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @def         index_of(ARRAY, ELEMENT)
+ * @brief       Returns the index of a pointer to an array element.
+
+ * @param[in]   ARRAY    an array
+ * @param[in]   ELEMENT  pointer to an array element
+ * @return      Index of the element in the array
+ */
+#define index_of(ARRAY, ELEMENT) (((uintptr_t)(ELEMENT) - (uintptr_t)(ARRAY)) / sizeof(*(ELEMENT)))
+
 /**
  * @def NORETURN
  * @brief The *NORETURN* keyword tells the compiler to assume that the function