diff --git a/SWIG/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i b/SWIG/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i
index cdd2c2b55..bdec7fb20 100644
--- a/SWIG/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i
+++ b/SWIG/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ namespace std {
 
 %template(DoubleVector) std::vector<double>;
 
+%template(SizeVector) std::vector<size_t>;
+
 %inline %{
 typedef float Real;
 %}
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/pymisctypes.swg b/SWIG/Lib/python/pymisctypes.swg
index e95244d14..d782abb8a 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/python/pymisctypes.swg
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/pymisctypes.swg
@@ -3,14 +3,21 @@
  * --- ANSI/Posix C/C++ types ---
  * ------------------------------------------------------------ */
 
-typedef unsigned long size_t;
-typedef long ptrdiff_t;
+%apply unsigned long { size_t };
+%apply const unsigned long& { const size_t& };
+%apply unsigned long& { size_t& };
+
+%apply long { ptrdiff_t };
+%apply const long& { const ptrdiff_t& };
+%apply long& { ptrdiff_t& };
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
-namespace std {
-  typedef unsigned long size_t;
-  typedef long ptrdiff_t;
-}
+%apply unsigned long { std::size_t };
+%apply const unsigned long& { const std::size_t& };
+%apply unsigned long& { std::size_t& };
 
+%apply long { std::ptrdiff_t };
+%apply const long& { const std::ptrdiff_t& };
+%apply long& { std::ptrdiff_t& };
 #endif