Index: include/asterisk/stringfields.h
===================================================================
--- include/asterisk/stringfields.h	(revision 230993)
+++ include/asterisk/stringfields.h	(working copy)
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@
 
 #include "asterisk/inline_api.h"
 
+/* the type of storage used to track how many bytes were allocated for a field */
+
+typedef uint16_t ast_string_field_allocation;
+
 /*!
   \internal
   \brief An opaque type for managed string fields in structures
@@ -112,7 +116,7 @@
   In addition to the string itself, the amount of space allocated for the
   field is stored in the two bytes immediately preceding it.
 */
-typedef const char * ast_string_field;
+typedef const char * ast_string_field __attribute__ ((aligned (sizeof(ast_string_field_allocation))));
 
 /*!
   \internal
@@ -293,10 +297,6 @@
 void __ast_string_field_release_active(struct ast_string_field_pool *pool_head,
 				       const ast_string_field ptr);
 
-/* the type of storage used to track how many bytes were allocated for a field */
-
-typedef uint16_t ast_string_field_allocation;
-
 /*!
   \brief Macro to provide access to the allocation field that lives immediately in front of a string field
   \param x Pointer to the string field