diff --git a/manual_content_scan.c b/manual_content_scan.c
index 40e8051927..9f5a734be0 100644
--- a/manual_content_scan.c
+++ b/manual_content_scan.c
@@ -1870,7 +1870,7 @@ void manual_content_scan_add_content_to_playlist(
       entry.core_name  = (char*)FILE_PATH_DETECT;
       entry.crc32      = (char*)"00000000|crc";
       entry.db_name    = task_config->database_name;
-      entry.entry_slot = 0;
+      PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(&entry, 0);
 
       /* Add entry to playlist */
       playlist_push(playlist, &entry);
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c
index 26bd3651fe..787106567f 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c
@@ -1275,11 +1275,11 @@ static int action_bind_sublabel_playlist_entry(
       return 0;
 
    /* Check whether runtime info should be loaded from log file */
-   if (entry->runtime_status == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN)
+   if (PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry) == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN)
       runtime_update_playlist(playlist, playlist_index);
 
    /* Check whether runtime info is valid */
-   if (entry->runtime_status == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID)
+   if (PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry) == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID)
    {
       size_t n = 0;
       char tmp[128];
diff --git a/menu/drivers/materialui.c b/menu/drivers/materialui.c
index 44250db274..7ce439cfdc 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/materialui.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/materialui.c
@@ -4234,7 +4234,7 @@ static bool materialui_render_process_entry_playlist_desktop(
             /* Get runtime info, if available */
             if (content_runtime_log || content_runtime_log_aggregate)
             {
-               if (entry->runtime_status == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN)
+               if (PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry) == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN)
                   runtime_update_playlist(mui->playlist, playlist_idx);
 
                if (entry->runtime_str && *entry->runtime_str)
diff --git a/menu/drivers/ozone.c b/menu/drivers/ozone.c
index 0bc77d3fc0..577411fce3 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/ozone.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/ozone.c
@@ -4659,7 +4659,7 @@ static void ozone_update_content_metadata(ozone_handle_t *ozone)
 
       if (entry)
       {
-         if (     (entry->runtime_status == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN)
+         if (     (PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry) == PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN)
                || (ozone->flags2 & OZONE_FLAG2_IS_QUICK_MENU))
             runtime_update_playlist(playlist, playlist_index);
 
diff --git a/playlist.c b/playlist.c
index 4e707d3833..3b6b00fc32 100644
--- a/playlist.c
+++ b/playlist.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ enum json_ctx_flags
 enum playlist_json_packed_val
 {
    PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_NONE = 0,
+   PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_ENTRY_SLOT,
    PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_RUNTIME_HOURS,
    PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_RUNTIME_MINUTES,
    PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_RUNTIME_SECONDS,
@@ -686,8 +687,8 @@ static void playlist_free_entry(struct playlist_entry *entry)
    entry->last_played_str    = NULL;
    entry->subsystem_roms     = NULL;
    entry->path_id            = NULL;
-   entry->entry_slot         = 0;
-   entry->runtime_status     = PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN;
+   PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(entry, 0);
+   PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry, PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN);
    PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_HOURS(entry, 0);
    PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_MINUTES(entry, 0);
    PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_SECONDS(entry, 0);
@@ -1211,9 +1212,9 @@ void playlist_update_runtime(playlist_t *playlist, size_t idx,
          playlist->flags   |= CNT_PLAYLIST_FLG_MOD;
    }
 
-   if (update_entry->runtime_status != entry->runtime_status)
+   if (PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(update_entry) != PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry))
    {
-      entry->runtime_status = update_entry->runtime_status;
+      PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry, PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(update_entry));
       if (register_update)
          playlist->flags   |= CNT_PLAYLIST_FLG_MOD;
    }
@@ -1399,7 +1400,8 @@ bool playlist_push_runtime(playlist_t *playlist,
       if (*real_core_path)
          playlist->entries[0].core_path       = strdup(real_core_path);
 
-      playlist->entries[0].runtime_status     = entry->runtime_status;
+      PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(&playlist->entries[0],
+            PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(entry));
       PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_HOURS(&playlist->entries[0], PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_HOURS(entry));
       PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_MINUTES(&playlist->entries[0], PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_MINUTES(entry));
       PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_SECONDS(&playlist->entries[0], PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_SECONDS(entry));
@@ -1437,7 +1439,7 @@ void playlist_update_thumbnail_name_flag(playlist_t *playlist, size_t idx,
       return;
 
    entry                   = &playlist->entries[idx];
-   entry->thumbnail_flags |= thumbnail_flags;
+   PLAYLIST_OR_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(entry, thumbnail_flags);
 }
 
 enum playlist_thumbnail_name_flags playlist_get_curr_thumbnail_name_flag(playlist_t *playlist, size_t idx)
@@ -1446,7 +1448,7 @@ enum playlist_thumbnail_name_flags playlist_get_curr_thumbnail_name_flag(playlis
    if (!playlist || idx >= RBUF_LEN(playlist->entries))
       return    PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_NONE;
    entry = &playlist->entries[idx];
-   return (enum playlist_thumbnail_name_flags)entry->thumbnail_flags;
+   return (enum playlist_thumbnail_name_flags)PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(entry);
 }
 
 
@@ -1458,11 +1460,11 @@ enum playlist_thumbnail_name_flags playlist_get_next_thumbnail_name_flag(playlis
       return    PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_NONE;
    entry = (struct playlist_entry*)&playlist->entries[idx];
 
-   if (entry->thumbnail_flags & PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_SHORT_NAME)
+   if (PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(entry) & PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_SHORT_NAME)
             return PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_NONE;
-   if (entry->thumbnail_flags & PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_STD_NAME)
+   if (PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(entry) & PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_STD_NAME)
             return PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_SHORT_NAME;
-   if (entry->thumbnail_flags & PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_FULL_NAME)
+   if (PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(entry) & PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_FULL_NAME)
             return PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAG_STD_NAME;
    /* Special case: only one entry in playlist, only one query is possible
     * as flag swapping relies on going back and forth among entries
@@ -1735,7 +1737,8 @@ static bool playlist_push_new_entry(playlist_t *playlist,
       playlist->entries[0].last_played_str    = NULL;
       playlist->entries[0].subsystem_roms     = NULL;
       playlist->entries[0].path_id            = NULL;
-      playlist->entries[0].runtime_status     = PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN;
+      PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(&playlist->entries[0],
+            PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_UNKNOWN);
       PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_HOURS(&playlist->entries[0], 0);
       PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_MINUTES(&playlist->entries[0], 0);
       PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_SECONDS(&playlist->entries[0], 0);
@@ -1750,7 +1753,8 @@ static bool playlist_push_new_entry(playlist_t *playlist,
          playlist->entries[0].path            = strdup(path_id->real_path);
       playlist->entries[0].path_id            = path_id;
 
-      playlist->entries[0].entry_slot         = entry->entry_slot;
+      PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(&playlist->entries[0],
+            PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(entry));
 
       if (entry->label && *entry->label)
          playlist->entries[0].label           = strdup(entry->label);
@@ -1898,10 +1902,11 @@ bool playlist_push(playlist_t *playlist,
       }
 
       /* Only write non-redundant entry slot numbers */
-      if (     playlist->entries[i].entry_slot != entry->entry_slot
-            && (int)entry->entry_slot > 0)
+      if (     PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(&playlist->entries[i]) != PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(entry)
+            && (int)PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(entry) > 0)
       {
-         playlist->entries[i].entry_slot  = entry->entry_slot;
+         PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(&playlist->entries[i],
+               PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(entry));
          entry_updated                    = true;
       }
 
@@ -2482,7 +2487,7 @@ void playlist_write_file(playlist_t *playlist)
          /* Typecast required because playlist_entry.entry_slot is unsigned,
           * and 0 and -1 are redundant, but runloop.entry_state_slot is int16_t
           * and must be able to be negative, because 0 is a valid slot */
-         if (     (int)playlist->entries[i].entry_slot > 0
+         if (     (int)PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(&playlist->entries[i]) > 0
                && !strstr(playlist->config.path, FILE_PATH_BUILTIN))
          {
             rjsonwriter_raw(writer, ",", 1);
@@ -2490,7 +2495,8 @@ void playlist_write_file(playlist_t *playlist)
             rjsonwriter_add_spaces(writer, 6);
             rjsonwriter_add_string(writer, "entry_slot");
             rjsonwriter_raw(writer, ": ", 2);
-            rjsonwriter_rawf(writer, "%d", (int)playlist->entries[i].entry_slot);
+            rjsonwriter_rawf(writer, "%d",
+                  (int)PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(&playlist->entries[i]));
          }
 
          if (playlist->entries[i].subsystem_ident && *playlist->entries[i].subsystem_ident)
@@ -2874,6 +2880,9 @@ static bool JSONNumberHandler(void *context, const char *pValue, size_t len)
             unsigned v = (unsigned)strtoul(pValue, NULL, 10);
             switch (pCtx->current_entry_packed_val)
             {
+               case PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_ENTRY_SLOT:
+                  PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(pCtx->current_entry, v);
+                  break;
                case PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_RUNTIME_HOURS:
                   PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_HOURS(pCtx->current_entry, v);
                   break;
@@ -2989,7 +2998,7 @@ static bool JSONObjectMemberHandler(void *context, const char *pValue, size_t le
                      break;
                case 'e':
                      if (!strcmp(pValue, "entry_slot"))
-                        pCtx->current_entry_uint_val = &pCtx->current_entry->entry_slot;
+                        pCtx->current_entry_packed_val = PLAYLIST_JSON_PACKED_ENTRY_SLOT;
                      break;
                case 'l':
                      if (!strcmp(pValue, "label"))
diff --git a/playlist.h b/playlist.h
index 35ac974865..7ccc98d261 100644
--- a/playlist.h
+++ b/playlist.h
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ struct playlist_entry
    char *last_played_str;
    struct string_list *subsystem_roms;
    playlist_path_id_t *path_id;
-   unsigned entry_slot;
    /* Note: due to platform dependence, have to record
     * timestamp as either a string or independent integer
     * values. The latter is more verbose, but more efficient.
@@ -145,10 +144,27 @@ struct playlist_entry
    uint32_t runtime;            /* hours:20 | minutes:6 | seconds:6 */
    uint32_t last_played_ymd;    /* year:16  | month:4   | day:5     */
    uint32_t last_played_hms;    /* hour:5   | minute:6  | second:6  */
-   enum playlist_runtime_status runtime_status;
-   int thumbnail_flags;
+   /* Packed, for the same reason as the timestamps above: the slot
+    * index is a subsystem content slot, the runtime status has three
+    * values and the thumbnail flags are five bits. */
+   uint32_t attr;               /* slot:16  | status:3  | thumbs:5  */
 };
 
+#define PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(e)         ((e)->attr & 0xffffu)
+#define PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(e) \
+   ((enum playlist_runtime_status)(((e)->attr >> 16) & 0x7u))
+#define PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(e)    ((int)(((e)->attr >> 19) & 0x1fu))
+#define PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(e, v) \
+   ((e)->attr = ((e)->attr & ~0xffffu) | ((uint32_t)(v) & 0xffffu))
+#define PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(e, v) \
+   ((e)->attr = ((e)->attr & ~(0x7u << 16)) \
+              | (((uint32_t)(v) & 0x7u) << 16))
+#define PLAYLIST_SET_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(e, v) \
+   ((e)->attr = ((e)->attr & ~(0x1fu << 19)) \
+              | (((uint32_t)(v) & 0x1fu) << 19))
+#define PLAYLIST_OR_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(e, v) \
+   PLAYLIST_SET_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS((e), PLAYLIST_THUMBNAIL_FLAGS(e) | (int)(v))
+
 #define PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_HOURS(e)      ((e)->runtime >> 12)
 #define PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_MINUTES(e)    (((e)->runtime >> 6) & 0x3fu)
 #define PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_SECONDS(e)    ((e)->runtime & 0x3fu)
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index 3c0adaa0db..95984cc168 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -4801,8 +4801,8 @@ static bool event_init_content(
          if (menu_st && menu_st->driver_data)
             playlist_get_index(playlist, menu_st->driver_data->rpl_entry_selection_ptr, &entry);
 
-         if (entry && entry->entry_slot > 0)
-            runloop_st->entry_state_slot = entry->entry_slot;
+         if (entry && PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(entry) > 0)
+            runloop_st->entry_state_slot = PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(entry);
 
          entry_state_load = runloop_st->entry_state_slot > -1;
 
diff --git a/runtime_file.c b/runtime_file.c
index 86cc568e26..e3339d3964 100644
--- a/runtime_file.c
+++ b/runtime_file.c
@@ -1362,7 +1362,7 @@ void runtime_update_playlist(
 
    /* Set fallback playlist 'runtime_status'
     * (saves 'if' checks later...) */
-   update_entry.runtime_status = PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_MISSING;
+   PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(&update_entry, PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_MISSING);
 
    /* 'Attach' runtime/last played strings */
    runtime_str[0]               = '\0';
@@ -1423,7 +1423,7 @@ void runtime_update_playlist(
                timedate_style, date_separator);
 
          /* Playlist entry now contains valid runtime data */
-         update_entry.runtime_status = PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID;
+         PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(&update_entry, PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID);
       }
 
       /* Clean up */
@@ -1433,7 +1433,7 @@ void runtime_update_playlist(
 #if defined(HAVE_MENU) && (defined(HAVE_OZONE) || defined(HAVE_MATERIALUI))
    /* Ozone and GLUI require runtime/last played strings
     * to be populated even when no runtime is recorded */
-   if (update_entry.runtime_status != PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID)
+   if (PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_STATUS(&update_entry) != PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID)
    {
       const char *menu_ident = menu_driver_ident();
       if (     !strcmp(menu_ident, "ozone")
@@ -1447,7 +1447,7 @@ void runtime_update_playlist(
 
          /* While runtime data does not exist, the playlist
           * entry does now contain valid information... */
-         update_entry.runtime_status = PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID;
+         PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_STATUS(&update_entry, PLAYLIST_RUNTIME_VALID);
       }
    }
 #endif
diff --git a/tasks/task_content.c b/tasks/task_content.c
index b144c4bde3..109aa0c25b 100644
--- a/tasks/task_content.c
+++ b/tasks/task_content.c
@@ -2199,7 +2199,7 @@ static void task_push_to_history_list(
             entry.subsystem_ident = (char*)path_get(RARCH_PATH_SUBSYSTEM);
             entry.subsystem_name  = (char*)subsystem_name;
             entry.subsystem_roms  = (struct string_list*)path_get_subsystem_list();
-            entry.entry_slot      = runloop_st->entry_state_slot;
+            PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(&entry, runloop_st->entry_state_slot);
 
             command_playlist_push_write(playlist_hist, &entry);
 #if TARGET_OS_TV
@@ -2295,7 +2295,7 @@ static bool task_push_to_history_list_from_playlist_pre_load_static(
                   {
                      label         = pl_entry->label;
                      crc32         = pl_entry->crc32;
-                     ss_entry_slot = pl_entry->entry_slot;
+                     ss_entry_slot = PLAYLIST_ENTRY_SLOT(pl_entry);
                   }
 
                   playlist_get_db_name(playlist_curr,
@@ -2323,7 +2323,7 @@ static bool task_push_to_history_list_from_playlist_pre_load_static(
       new_entry.core_name  = (char*)core_name;
       new_entry.crc32      = (char*)crc32;
       new_entry.db_name    = (char*)db_name;
-      new_entry.entry_slot = ss_entry_slot;
+      PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(&new_entry, ss_entry_slot);
 
       /* TODO/FIXME: Subsystems are not properly supported
        * on static platforms, so exclude the following:
diff --git a/tasks/task_database.c b/tasks/task_database.c
index cf0c567ba1..24cb6c9262 100644
--- a/tasks/task_database.c
+++ b/tasks/task_database.c
@@ -2209,7 +2209,7 @@ static bool manual_scan_end_flush_tick(
          entry.subsystem_ident   = NULL;
          entry.subsystem_name    = NULL;
          entry.subsystem_roms    = NULL;
-         entry.entry_slot        = 0;
+         PLAYLIST_SET_ENTRY_SLOT(&entry, 0);
          PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_HOURS(&entry, 0);
          PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_MINUTES(&entry, 0);
          PLAYLIST_SET_RUNTIME_SECONDS(&entry, 0);