diff --git a/include/compiler.h b/include/compiler.h
index b46d5aac..f519877c 100644
--- a/include/compiler.h
+++ b/include/compiler.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.  */
 #define COMPILER_H
 
 #ifdef __GNUC__
+# define ALIGNED(x)	__attribute__((aligned(x)))
 # define UNUSED		__attribute__((unused))
 # define NORETURN	__attribute__((noreturn))
 # define ALIAS(name)	__attribute__((alias (#name)))
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.  */
 #  define unlikely(x)	(x)
 # endif
 #else
+# define ALIGNED(x)
 # define ALWAYS_INLINE
 # define UNUSED
 # define NORETURN
diff --git a/src/mi/mempool.c b/src/mi/mempool.c
index 66cb0995..b04aa634 100644
--- a/src/mi/mempool.c
+++ b/src/mi/mempool.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /* libunwind - a platform-independent unwind library
    Copyright (C) 2002-2003, 2005 Hewlett-Packard Co
 	Contributed by David Mosberger-Tang <davidm@hpl.hp.com>
+   Copyright (C) 2012 Tommi Rantala <tt.rantala@gmail.com>
 
 This file is part of libunwind.
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.  */
 # define MAX_ALIGN	MAX_ALIGN_(sizeof (long double))
 #endif
 
-static char sos_memory[SOS_MEMORY_SIZE];
+static char sos_memory[SOS_MEMORY_SIZE] ALIGNED(MAX_ALIGN);
 static char *sos_memp;
 static size_t pg_size;