diff --git a/benchmarks/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/benchmark/vector/TransposeHalfByteBenchmark.java b/benchmarks/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/benchmark/vector/TransposeHalfByteBenchmark.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ce2341f3442ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/benchmark/vector/TransposeHalfByteBenchmark.java
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the "Elastic License
+ * 2.0", the "GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 only", and the "Server Side
+ * Public License v 1"; you may not use this file except in compliance with, at
+ * your election, the "Elastic License 2.0", the "GNU Affero General Public
+ * License v3.0 only", or the "Server Side Public License, v 1".
+ */
+package org.elasticsearch.benchmark.vector;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.LogConfigurator;
+import org.elasticsearch.index.codec.vectors.BQSpaceUtils;
+import org.elasticsearch.index.codec.vectors.BQVectorUtils;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Benchmark;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.BenchmarkMode;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Fork;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Measurement;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Mode;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.OutputTimeUnit;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Param;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Scope;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Setup;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.State;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.annotations.Warmup;
+import org.openjdk.jmh.infra.Blackhole;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Random;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+
+@BenchmarkMode(Mode.Throughput)
+@OutputTimeUnit(TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
+@State(Scope.Benchmark)
+// first iteration is complete garbage, so make sure we really warmup
+@Warmup(iterations = 4, time = 1)
+// real iterations. not useful to spend tons of time here, better to fork more
+@Measurement(iterations = 5, time = 1)
+// engage some noise reduction
+@Fork(value = 1)
+public class TransposeHalfByteBenchmark {
+
+    static {
+        LogConfigurator.configureESLogging(); // native access requires logging to be initialized
+    }
+
+    @Param({ "384", "782", "1024" })
+    int dims;
+
+    int length;
+
+    int numVectors = 1000;
+
+    int[][] qVectors;
+    byte[] packed;
+
+    @Setup
+    public void setup() throws IOException {
+        Random random = new Random(123);
+
+        this.length = 4 * BQVectorUtils.discretize(dims, 64) / 8;
+        this.packed = new byte[length];
+
+        qVectors = new int[numVectors][dims];
+        for (int[] qVector : qVectors) {
+            for (int i = 0; i < dims; i++) {
+                qVector[i] = random.nextInt(16);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Benchmark
+    public void transposeHalfByte(Blackhole bh) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < numVectors; i++) {
+            BQSpaceUtils.transposeHalfByte(qVectors[i], packed);
+            bh.consume(packed);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Benchmark
+    public void transposeHalfByteLegacy(Blackhole bh) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < numVectors; i++) {
+            BQSpaceUtils.transposeHalfByteLegacy(qVectors[i], packed);
+            bh.consume(packed);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/codec/vectors/BQSpaceUtils.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/codec/vectors/BQSpaceUtils.java
index 99ead8334c21f..06c96e5a2c176 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/codec/vectors/BQSpaceUtils.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/codec/vectors/BQSpaceUtils.java
@@ -37,6 +37,57 @@ public class BQSpaceUtils {
      * @param quantQueryByte the byte array to store the transposed query vector
      */
     public static void transposeHalfByte(byte[] q, byte[] quantQueryByte) {
+        int limit = q.length - 7;
+        int i = 0;
+        int index = 0;
+        for (; i < limit; i += 8, index++) {
+            assert q[i] >= 0 && q[i] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 1] >= 0 && q[i + 1] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 2] >= 0 && q[i + 2] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 3] >= 0 && q[i + 3] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 4] >= 0 && q[i + 4] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 5] >= 0 && q[i + 5] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 6] >= 0 && q[i + 6] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 7] >= 0 && q[i + 7] <= 15;
+            int lowerByte = (q[i] & 1) << 7 | (q[i + 1] & 1) << 6 | (q[i + 2] & 1) << 5 | (q[i + 3] & 1) << 4 | (q[i + 4] & 1) << 3 | (q[i
+                + 5] & 1) << 2 | (q[i + 6] & 1) << 1 | (q[i + 7] & 1);
+            int lowerMiddleByte = ((q[i] >> 1) & 1) << 7 | ((q[i + 1] >> 1) & 1) << 6 | ((q[i + 2] >> 1) & 1) << 5 | ((q[i + 3] >> 1) & 1)
+                << 4 | ((q[i + 4] >> 1) & 1) << 3 | ((q[i + 5] >> 1) & 1) << 2 | ((q[i + 6] >> 1) & 1) << 1 | ((q[i + 7] >> 1) & 1);
+            int upperMiddleByte = ((q[i] >> 2) & 1) << 7 | ((q[i + 1] >> 2) & 1) << 6 | ((q[i + 2] >> 2) & 1) << 5 | ((q[i + 3] >> 2) & 1)
+                << 4 | ((q[i + 4] >> 2) & 1) << 3 | ((q[i + 5] >> 2) & 1) << 2 | ((q[i + 6] >> 2) & 1) << 1 | ((q[i + 7] >> 2) & 1);
+            int upperByte = ((q[i] >> 3) & 1) << 7 | ((q[i + 1] >> 3) & 1) << 6 | ((q[i + 2] >> 3) & 1) << 5 | ((q[i + 3] >> 3) & 1) << 4
+                | ((q[i + 4] >> 3) & 1) << 3 | ((q[i + 5] >> 3) & 1) << 2 | ((q[i + 6] >> 3) & 1) << 1 | ((q[i + 7] >> 3) & 1);
+            quantQueryByte[index] = (byte) lowerByte;
+            quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) lowerMiddleByte;
+            quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 2] = (byte) upperMiddleByte;
+            quantQueryByte[index + 3 * quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) upperByte;
+        }
+        if (i == q.length) {
+            return; // all done
+        }
+        int lowerByte = 0;
+        int lowerMiddleByte = 0;
+        int upperMiddleByte = 0;
+        int upperByte = 0;
+        for (int j = 7; i < q.length; j--, i++) {
+            lowerByte |= (q[i] & 1) << j;
+            lowerMiddleByte |= ((q[i] >> 1) & 1) << j;
+            upperMiddleByte |= ((q[i] >> 2) & 1) << j;
+            upperByte |= ((q[i] >> 3) & 1) << j;
+        }
+        quantQueryByte[index] = (byte) lowerByte;
+        quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) lowerMiddleByte;
+        quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 2] = (byte) upperMiddleByte;
+        quantQueryByte[index + 3 * quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) upperByte;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Same as {@link #transposeHalfByte(byte[], byte[])} but with more readable but slower code.
+     *
+     * @param q the query vector, assumed to be half-byte quantized with values between 0 and 15
+     * @param quantQueryByte the byte array to store the transposed query vector
+     * */
+    public static void transposeHalfByteLegacy(byte[] q, byte[] quantQueryByte) {
         for (int i = 0; i < q.length;) {
             assert q[i] >= 0 && q[i] <= 15;
             int lowerByte = 0;
@@ -66,6 +117,57 @@ public static void transposeHalfByte(byte[] q, byte[] quantQueryByte) {
      * @param quantQueryByte the byte array to store the transposed query vector
      * */
     public static void transposeHalfByte(int[] q, byte[] quantQueryByte) {
+        int limit = q.length - 7;
+        int i = 0;
+        int index = 0;
+        for (; i < limit; i += 8, index++) {
+            assert q[i] >= 0 && q[i] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 1] >= 0 && q[i + 1] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 2] >= 0 && q[i + 2] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 3] >= 0 && q[i + 3] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 4] >= 0 && q[i + 4] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 5] >= 0 && q[i + 5] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 6] >= 0 && q[i + 6] <= 15;
+            assert q[i + 7] >= 0 && q[i + 7] <= 15;
+            int lowerByte = (q[i] & 1) << 7 | (q[i + 1] & 1) << 6 | (q[i + 2] & 1) << 5 | (q[i + 3] & 1) << 4 | (q[i + 4] & 1) << 3 | (q[i
+                + 5] & 1) << 2 | (q[i + 6] & 1) << 1 | (q[i + 7] & 1);
+            int lowerMiddleByte = ((q[i] >> 1) & 1) << 7 | ((q[i + 1] >> 1) & 1) << 6 | ((q[i + 2] >> 1) & 1) << 5 | ((q[i + 3] >> 1) & 1)
+                << 4 | ((q[i + 4] >> 1) & 1) << 3 | ((q[i + 5] >> 1) & 1) << 2 | ((q[i + 6] >> 1) & 1) << 1 | ((q[i + 7] >> 1) & 1);
+            int upperMiddleByte = ((q[i] >> 2) & 1) << 7 | ((q[i + 1] >> 2) & 1) << 6 | ((q[i + 2] >> 2) & 1) << 5 | ((q[i + 3] >> 2) & 1)
+                << 4 | ((q[i + 4] >> 2) & 1) << 3 | ((q[i + 5] >> 2) & 1) << 2 | ((q[i + 6] >> 2) & 1) << 1 | ((q[i + 7] >> 2) & 1);
+            int upperByte = ((q[i] >> 3) & 1) << 7 | ((q[i + 1] >> 3) & 1) << 6 | ((q[i + 2] >> 3) & 1) << 5 | ((q[i + 3] >> 3) & 1) << 4
+                | ((q[i + 4] >> 3) & 1) << 3 | ((q[i + 5] >> 3) & 1) << 2 | ((q[i + 6] >> 3) & 1) << 1 | ((q[i + 7] >> 3) & 1);
+            quantQueryByte[index] = (byte) lowerByte;
+            quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) lowerMiddleByte;
+            quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 2] = (byte) upperMiddleByte;
+            quantQueryByte[index + 3 * quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) upperByte;
+        }
+        if (i == q.length) {
+            return; // all done
+        }
+        int lowerByte = 0;
+        int lowerMiddleByte = 0;
+        int upperMiddleByte = 0;
+        int upperByte = 0;
+        for (int j = 7; i < q.length; j--, i++) {
+            lowerByte |= (q[i] & 1) << j;
+            lowerMiddleByte |= ((q[i] >> 1) & 1) << j;
+            upperMiddleByte |= ((q[i] >> 2) & 1) << j;
+            upperByte |= ((q[i] >> 3) & 1) << j;
+        }
+        quantQueryByte[index] = (byte) lowerByte;
+        quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) lowerMiddleByte;
+        quantQueryByte[index + quantQueryByte.length / 2] = (byte) upperMiddleByte;
+        quantQueryByte[index + 3 * quantQueryByte.length / 4] = (byte) upperByte;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Same as {@link #transposeHalfByte(int[], byte[])} but with more readable but slower code.
+     *
+     * @param q the query vector, assumed to be half-byte quantized with values between 0 and 15
+     * @param quantQueryByte the byte array to store the transposed query vector
+     * */
+    public static void transposeHalfByteLegacy(int[] q, byte[] quantQueryByte) {
         for (int i = 0; i < q.length;) {
             assert q[i] >= 0 && q[i] <= 15;
             int lowerByte = 0;
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/codec/vectors/BQSpaceUtilsTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/codec/vectors/BQSpaceUtilsTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3e72ff011167e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/codec/vectors/BQSpaceUtilsTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the "Elastic License
+ * 2.0", the "GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 only", and the "Server Side
+ * Public License v 1"; you may not use this file except in compliance with, at
+ * your election, the "Elastic License 2.0", the "GNU Affero General Public
+ * License v3.0 only", or the "Server Side Public License, v 1".
+ */
+
+package org.elasticsearch.index.codec.vectors;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
+
+public class BQSpaceUtilsTests extends ESTestCase {
+
+    public void testIntegerTransposeHalfByte() {
+        int dims = randomIntBetween(16, 2048);
+        int[] toPack = new int[dims];
+        for (int i = 0; i < dims; i++) {
+            toPack[i] = randomInt(15);
+        }
+        int length = 4 * BQVectorUtils.discretize(dims, 64) / 8;
+        byte[] packed = new byte[length];
+        byte[] packedLegacy = new byte[length];
+        BQSpaceUtils.transposeHalfByteLegacy(toPack, packedLegacy);
+        BQSpaceUtils.transposeHalfByte(toPack, packed);
+        assertArrayEquals(packedLegacy, packed);
+    }
+
+    public void testByteTransposeHalfByte() {
+        int dims = randomIntBetween(16, 2048);
+        byte[] toPack = new byte[dims];
+        for (int i = 0; i < dims; i++) {
+            toPack[i] = (byte) randomInt(15);
+        }
+        int length = 4 * BQVectorUtils.discretize(dims, 64) / 8;
+        byte[] packed = new byte[length];
+        byte[] packedLegacy = new byte[length];
+        BQSpaceUtils.transposeHalfByteLegacy(toPack, packedLegacy);
+        BQSpaceUtils.transposeHalfByte(toPack, packed);
+        assertArrayEquals(packedLegacy, packed);
+    }
+}