diff --git a/src/pool.c b/src/pool.c
index 146f118b4..a516ff9eb 100644
--- a/src/pool.c
+++ b/src/pool.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ GIT_INLINE(void) pool_remove_page(
 void *git_pool_malloc(git_pool *pool, uint32_t items)
 {
 	git_pool_page *scan = pool->open, *prev;
-	uint32_t size = items * pool->item_size;
+	uint32_t size = ((items * pool->item_size) + 7) & ~7;
 	void *ptr = NULL;
 
 	pool->has_string_alloc = 0;
diff --git a/tests/core/pool.c b/tests/core/pool.c
index 351d0c20f..a7ec8801b 100644
--- a/tests/core/pool.c
+++ b/tests/core/pool.c
@@ -38,19 +38,19 @@ void test_core_pool__1(void)
 		cl_assert(git_pool_malloc(&p, i) != NULL);
 
 	/* with fixed page size, allocation must end up with these values */
-	cl_assert(git_pool__open_pages(&p) == 1);
-	cl_assert(git_pool__full_pages(&p) == 505);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, git_pool__open_pages(&p));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(507, git_pool__full_pages(&p));
 
 	git_pool_clear(&p);
 
-	cl_git_pass(git_pool_init(&p, 1, 4100));
+	cl_git_pass(git_pool_init(&p, 1, 4120));
 
 	for (i = 2010; i > 0; i--)
 		cl_assert(git_pool_malloc(&p, i) != NULL);
 
 	/* with fixed page size, allocation must end up with these values */
-	cl_assert(git_pool__open_pages(&p) == 1);
-	cl_assert(git_pool__full_pages(&p) == 492);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, git_pool__open_pages(&p));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(492, git_pool__full_pages(&p));
 
 	git_pool_clear(&p);
 }