diff --git a/src/client/linux/minidump_writer/directory_reader.h b/src/client/linux/minidump_writer/directory_reader.h
index 62bba8779..eb1696943 100644
--- a/src/client/linux/minidump_writer/directory_reader.h
+++ b/src/client/linux/minidump_writer/directory_reader.h
@@ -95,9 +95,10 @@ class DirectoryReader {
 
  private:
   const int fd_;
-  bool hit_eof_;
   unsigned buf_used_;
-  uint8_t buf_[sizeof(struct kernel_dirent) + NAME_MAX + 1];
+  alignas(struct kernel_dirent)
+      uint8_t buf_[sizeof(struct kernel_dirent) + NAME_MAX + 1];
+  bool hit_eof_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace google_breakpad