diff --git a/meshtastic/deviceonly.options b/meshtastic/deviceonly.options
index 82dffcf4..d6aae0c4 100644
--- a/meshtastic/deviceonly.options
+++ b/meshtastic/deviceonly.options
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@
 
 *NodeInfoLite.channel int_size:8
 *NodeInfoLite.hops_away int_size:8
+*NodeInfoLite.next_hop int_size:8
 
 *UserLite.long_name max_size:40
 *UserLite.short_name max_size:5
 *UserLite.public_key max_size:32 # public key
-*UserLite.macaddr max_size:6 fixed_length:true
+*UserLite.macaddr max_size:6 fixed_length:true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meshtastic/deviceonly.proto b/meshtastic/deviceonly.proto
index 55aa9a77..c506137f 100644
--- a/meshtastic/deviceonly.proto
+++ b/meshtastic/deviceonly.proto
@@ -153,6 +153,11 @@ message NodeInfoLite {
    * Persists between NodeDB internal clean ups
    */
   bool is_ignored = 11;
+
+  /*
+   * Last byte of the node number of the node that should be used as the next hop to reach this node. 
+   */
+  uint32 next_hop = 12;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -237,4 +242,4 @@ message ChannelFile {
    * NodeDB.cpp in the device code.
    */
   uint32 version = 2;
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meshtastic/mesh.options b/meshtastic/mesh.options
index f474988c..26182a21 100644
--- a/meshtastic/mesh.options
+++ b/meshtastic/mesh.options
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 *MeshPacket.hop_limit int_size:8
 *MeshPacket.hop_start int_size:8
 *MeshPacket.channel int_size:8
+*MeshPacket.next_hop int_size:8
+*MeshPacket.relay_node int_size:8
 
 *QueueStatus.res int_size:8
 *QueueStatus.free int_size:8
@@ -75,4 +77,4 @@
 
 *ChunkedPayload.chunk_count int_size:16
 *ChunkedPayload.chunk_index int_size:16
-*ChunkedPayload.payload_chunk max_size:228
+*ChunkedPayload.payload_chunk max_size:228
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meshtastic/mesh.proto b/meshtastic/mesh.proto
index 27915a2c..181f27e2 100644
--- a/meshtastic/mesh.proto
+++ b/meshtastic/mesh.proto
@@ -1233,6 +1233,18 @@ message MeshPacket {
    * Indicates whether the packet was en/decrypted using PKI
    */
   bool pki_encrypted = 17;
+
+  /*
+   * Last byte of the node number of the node that should be used as the next hop in routing. 
+   * Set by the firmware internally, clients are not supposed to set this.
+   */
+  uint32 next_hop = 18;
+
+  /*
+   * Last byte of the node number of the node that will relay/relayed this packet.
+   * Set by the firmware internally, clients are not supposed to set this.
+   */
+  uint32 relay_node = 19;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -2040,4 +2052,4 @@ message ChunkedPayloadResponse {
      */
     resend_chunks resend_chunks = 4;
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file