diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh b/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh
index d24a06138..412850ba3 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout-gpos-table.hh
@@ -629,23 +629,18 @@ struct PairPosFormat1
   inline bool apply (hb_apply_context_t *c) const
   {
     TRACE_APPLY ();
-    unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
-    unsigned int end = MIN (c->buffer->len, j + c->context_length);
-    if (unlikely (j >= end))
+    hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, 1);
+    if (skippy_iter.has_no_chance ())
       return false;
 
-    unsigned int index = (this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint);
+    unsigned int index = (this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[c->buffer->idx].codepoint);
     if (likely (index == NOT_COVERED))
       return false;
 
-    do
-    {
-      j++;
-      if (unlikely (j == end))
-	return false;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], c->lookup_props, NULL));
+    if (!skippy_iter.next ())
+      return false;
 
-    return (this+pairSet[index]).apply (c, &valueFormat1, j);
+    return (this+pairSet[index]).apply (c, &valueFormat1, skippy_iter.idx);
   }
 
   inline bool sanitize (hb_sanitize_context_t *c) {
@@ -691,28 +686,23 @@ struct PairPosFormat2
   inline bool apply (hb_apply_context_t *c) const
   {
     TRACE_APPLY ();
-    unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
-    unsigned int end = MIN (c->buffer->len, j + c->context_length);
-    if (unlikely (j >= end))
+    hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, 1);
+    if (skippy_iter.has_no_chance ())
       return false;
 
-    unsigned int index = (this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint);
+    unsigned int index = (this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[c->buffer->idx].codepoint);
     if (likely (index == NOT_COVERED))
       return false;
 
-    do
-    {
-      j++;
-      if (unlikely (j == end))
-	return false;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], c->lookup_props, NULL));
+    if (!skippy_iter.next ())
+      return false;
 
     unsigned int len1 = valueFormat1.get_len ();
     unsigned int len2 = valueFormat2.get_len ();
     unsigned int record_len = len1 + len2;
 
     unsigned int klass1 = (this+classDef1) (c->buffer->info[c->buffer->idx].codepoint);
-    unsigned int klass2 = (this+classDef2) (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint);
+    unsigned int klass2 = (this+classDef2) (c->buffer->info[skippy_iter.idx].codepoint);
     if (unlikely (klass1 >= class1Count || klass2 >= class2Count))
       return false;
 
@@ -720,11 +710,11 @@ struct PairPosFormat2
     valueFormat1.apply_value (c->font, c->direction, this,
 			      v, c->buffer->pos[c->buffer->idx]);
     valueFormat2.apply_value (c->font, c->direction, this,
-			      v + len1, c->buffer->pos[j]);
+			      v + len1, c->buffer->pos[skippy_iter.idx]);
 
+    c->buffer->idx = skippy_iter.idx;
     if (len2)
-      j++;
-    c->buffer->idx = j;
+      c->buffer->idx++;
 
     return true;
   }
@@ -846,27 +836,23 @@ struct CursivePosFormat1
     if (c->property & HB_OT_LAYOUT_GLYPH_CLASS_MARK)
       return false;
 
-    unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
-    unsigned int end = MIN (c->buffer->len, j + c->context_length);
-    if (unlikely (j >= end))
+    hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, 1);
+    if (skippy_iter.has_no_chance ())
       return false;
 
-    const EntryExitRecord &this_record = entryExitRecord[(this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint)];
+    const EntryExitRecord &this_record = entryExitRecord[(this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[c->buffer->idx].codepoint)];
     if (!this_record.exitAnchor)
       return false;
 
-    do
-    {
-      j++;
-      if (unlikely (j == end))
-	return false;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], c->lookup_props, NULL));
+    if (!skippy_iter.next ())
+      return false;
 
-    const EntryExitRecord &next_record = entryExitRecord[(this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint)];
+    const EntryExitRecord &next_record = entryExitRecord[(this+coverage) (c->buffer->info[skippy_iter.idx].codepoint)];
     if (!next_record.entryAnchor)
       return false;
 
     unsigned int i = c->buffer->idx;
+    unsigned int j = skippy_iter.idx;
 
     hb_position_t entry_x, entry_y, exit_x, exit_y;
     (this+this_record.exitAnchor).get_anchor (c->font, c->buffer->info[i].codepoint, &exit_x, &exit_y);
@@ -997,23 +983,19 @@ struct MarkBasePosFormat1
 
     /* now we search backwards for a non-mark glyph */
     unsigned int property;
-    unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
-    do
-    {
-      if (unlikely (!j))
-	return false;
-      j--;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], LookupFlag::IgnoreMarks, &property));
+    hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_backward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, 1);
+    if (!skippy_iter.prev (&property, LookupFlag::IgnoreMarks))
+      return false;
 
     /* The following assertion is too strong, so we've disabled it. */
     if (!(property & HB_OT_LAYOUT_GLYPH_CLASS_BASE_GLYPH))
     {/*return false;*/}
 
-    unsigned int base_index = (this+baseCoverage) (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint);
+    unsigned int base_index = (this+baseCoverage) (c->buffer->info[skippy_iter.idx].codepoint);
     if (base_index == NOT_COVERED)
       return false;
 
-    return (this+markArray).apply (c, mark_index, base_index, this+baseArray, classCount, j);
+    return (this+markArray).apply (c, mark_index, base_index, this+baseArray, classCount, skippy_iter.idx);
   }
 
   inline bool sanitize (hb_sanitize_context_t *c) {
@@ -1099,18 +1081,15 @@ struct MarkLigPosFormat1
 
     /* now we search backwards for a non-mark glyph */
     unsigned int property;
-    unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
-    do
-    {
-      if (unlikely (!j))
-	return false;
-      j--;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], LookupFlag::IgnoreMarks, &property));
+    hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_backward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, 1);
+    if (!skippy_iter.prev (&property, LookupFlag::IgnoreMarks))
+      return false;
 
     /* The following assertion is too strong, so we've disabled it. */
     if (!(property & HB_OT_LAYOUT_GLYPH_CLASS_LIGATURE))
     {/*return false;*/}
 
+    unsigned int j = skippy_iter.idx;
     unsigned int lig_index = (this+ligatureCoverage) (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint);
     if (lig_index == NOT_COVERED)
       return false;
@@ -1218,17 +1197,15 @@ struct MarkMarkPosFormat1
 
     /* now we search backwards for a suitable mark glyph until a non-mark glyph */
     unsigned int property;
-    unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
-    do
-    {
-      if (unlikely (!j))
-	return false;
-      j--;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], c->lookup_props, &property));
+    hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_backward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, 1);
+    if (!skippy_iter.prev (&property))
+      return false;
 
     if (!(property & HB_OT_LAYOUT_GLYPH_CLASS_MARK))
       return false;
 
+    unsigned int j = skippy_iter.idx;
+
     /* Two marks match only if they belong to the same base, or same component
      * of the same ligature.  That is, the component numbers must match, and
      * if those are non-zero, the ligid number should also match. */
diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh b/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh
index 0a17a7a72..77f440013 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh
@@ -343,10 +343,12 @@ struct Ligature
   inline bool apply (hb_apply_context_t *c) const
   {
     TRACE_APPLY ();
-    unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
     unsigned int count = component.len;
-    unsigned int end = MIN (c->buffer->len, j + c->context_length);
-    if (unlikely (count < 2 || j >= end))
+    if (unlikely (count < 2))
+      return false;
+
+    hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, count - 1);
+    if (skippy_iter.has_no_chance ())
       return false;
 
     bool first_was_mark = (c->property & HB_OT_LAYOUT_GLYPH_CLASS_MARK);
@@ -355,16 +357,13 @@ struct Ligature
     for (unsigned int i = 1; i < count; i++)
     {
       unsigned int property;
-      do
-      {
-	j++;
-	if (unlikely (j == end))
-	  return false;
-      } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], c->lookup_props, &property));
+
+      if (!skippy_iter.next (&property))
+	return false;
 
       found_non_mark |= !(property & HB_OT_LAYOUT_GLYPH_CLASS_MARK);
 
-      if (likely (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint != component[i]))
+      if (likely (c->buffer->info[skippy_iter.idx].codepoint != component[i]))
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -376,7 +375,7 @@ struct Ligature
     c->buffer->info[c->buffer->idx].lig_comp() = 0;
     c->buffer->info[c->buffer->idx].lig_id() = lig_id;
 
-    if (j < c->buffer->idx + count) /* No input glyphs skipped */
+    if (skippy_iter.idx < c->buffer->idx + count) /* No input glyphs skipped */
     {
       c->replace_glyphs_be16 (count, 1, (const uint16_t *) &ligGlyph);
     }
diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout-gsubgpos-private.hh b/src/hb-ot-layout-gsubgpos-private.hh
index 24bc315b8..f22306f05 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout-gsubgpos-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout-gsubgpos-private.hh
@@ -68,6 +68,85 @@ struct hb_apply_context_t
   unsigned int property; /* propety of first glyph */
 
 
+  struct mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t
+  {
+    inline mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t (hb_apply_context_t *c_,
+					     unsigned int start_index_,
+					     unsigned int num_items_)
+    {
+      c = c_;
+      idx = start_index_;
+      num_items = num_items_;
+      end = MIN (c->buffer->len, c->buffer->idx + c->context_length);
+    }
+    inline bool has_no_chance (void) const
+    {
+      return unlikely (num_items && idx + num_items >= end);
+    }
+    inline bool next (unsigned int *property_out,
+		      unsigned int lookup_props)
+    {
+      do
+      {
+	idx++;
+	if (has_no_chance ())
+	  return false;
+      } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[idx], lookup_props, property_out));
+      num_items--;
+      return true;
+    }
+    inline bool next (unsigned int *property_out = NULL)
+    {
+      return next (property_out, c->lookup_props);
+    }
+
+    unsigned int idx;
+    private:
+    hb_apply_context_t *c;
+    unsigned int num_items;
+    unsigned int end;
+  };
+
+  struct mark_skipping_backward_iterator_t
+  {
+    inline mark_skipping_backward_iterator_t (hb_apply_context_t *c_,
+					      unsigned int start_index_,
+					      unsigned int num_items_)
+    {
+      c = c_;
+      idx = start_index_;
+      num_items = num_items_;
+    }
+    inline bool has_no_chance (void) const
+    {
+      return unlikely (num_items && num_items >= idx);
+    }
+    inline bool prev (unsigned int *property_out,
+		      unsigned int lookup_props)
+    {
+      do
+      {
+	if (has_no_chance ())
+	  return false;
+	idx--;
+      } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->out_info[idx], lookup_props, property_out));
+      num_items--;
+      return true;
+    }
+    inline bool prev (unsigned int *property_out = NULL)
+    {
+      return prev (property_out, c->lookup_props);
+    }
+
+    unsigned int idx;
+    private:
+    hb_apply_context_t *c;
+    unsigned int num_items;
+  };
+
+
+
+
   inline void replace_glyph (hb_codepoint_t glyph_index) const
   {
     clear_property ();
@@ -132,25 +211,20 @@ static inline bool match_input (hb_apply_context_t *c,
 				const void *match_data,
 				unsigned int *context_length_out)
 {
-  unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx;
-  unsigned int end = MIN (c->buffer->len, j + c->context_length);
-  if (unlikely (j + count > end))
+  hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx, count - 1);
+  if (skippy_iter.has_no_chance ())
     return false;
 
   for (unsigned int i = 1; i < count; i++)
   {
-    do
-    {
-      j++;
-      if (unlikely (j >= end))
-	return false;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], c->lookup_props, NULL));
+    if (!skippy_iter.next ())
+      return false;
 
-    if (likely (!match_func (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint, input[i - 1], match_data)))
+    if (likely (!match_func (c->buffer->info[skippy_iter.idx].codepoint, input[i - 1], match_data)))
       return false;
   }
 
-  *context_length_out = j - c->buffer->idx + 1;
+  *context_length_out = skippy_iter.idx - c->buffer->idx + 1;
 
   return true;
 }
@@ -161,18 +235,16 @@ static inline bool match_backtrack (hb_apply_context_t *c,
 				    match_func_t match_func,
 				    const void *match_data)
 {
-  unsigned int j = c->buffer->backtrack_len ();
+  hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_backward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->backtrack_len (), count);
+  if (skippy_iter.has_no_chance ())
+    return false;
 
   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < count; i++)
   {
-    do
-    {
-      if (unlikely (!j))
-	return false;
-      j--;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->out_info[j], c->lookup_props, NULL));
+    if (!skippy_iter.prev ())
+      return false;
 
-    if (likely (!match_func (c->buffer->out_info[j].codepoint, backtrack[i], match_data)))
+    if (likely (!match_func (c->buffer->out_info[skippy_iter.idx].codepoint, backtrack[i], match_data)))
       return false;
   }
 
@@ -186,19 +258,16 @@ static inline bool match_lookahead (hb_apply_context_t *c,
 				    const void *match_data,
 				    unsigned int offset)
 {
-  unsigned int j = c->buffer->idx + offset - 1;
-  unsigned int end = MIN (c->buffer->len, c->buffer->idx + c->context_length);
+  hb_apply_context_t::mark_skipping_forward_iterator_t skippy_iter (c, c->buffer->idx + offset - 1, count);
+  if (skippy_iter.has_no_chance ())
+    return false;
 
   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < count; i++)
   {
-    do
-    {
-      j++;
-      if (unlikely (j >= end))
-	return false;
-    } while (_hb_ot_layout_skip_mark (c->face, &c->buffer->info[j], c->lookup_props, NULL));
+    if (!skippy_iter.next ())
+      return false;
 
-    if (likely (!match_func (c->buffer->info[j].codepoint, lookahead[i], match_data)))
+    if (likely (!match_func (c->buffer->info[skippy_iter.idx].codepoint, lookahead[i], match_data)))
       return false;
   }