diff --git a/common/marshaller.c b/common/marshaller.c
index 2fccd52..adfb8cd 100644
--- a/common/marshaller.c
+++ b/common/marshaller.c
@@ -28,24 +28,49 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#include <spice/start-packed.h>
+typedef struct SPICE_ATTR_PACKED {
+    int16_t val;
+} int16_unaligned_t;
+
+typedef struct SPICE_ATTR_PACKED {
+    uint16_t val;
+} uint16_unaligned_t;
+
+typedef struct SPICE_ATTR_PACKED {
+    int32_t val;
+} int32_unaligned_t;
+
+typedef struct SPICE_ATTR_PACKED {
+    uint32_t val;
+} uint32_unaligned_t;
+
+typedef struct SPICE_ATTR_PACKED {
+    int64_t val;
+} int64_unaligned_t;
+
+typedef struct SPICE_ATTR_PACKED {
+    uint64_t val;
+} uint64_unaligned_t;
+#include <spice/end-packed.h>
+
+#define write_int8(ptr,v) (*(int8_t *)(ptr) = v)
+#define write_uint8(ptr,v) (*(uint8_t *)(ptr) = v)
+
 #ifdef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
-#define write_int8(ptr,v) (*((int8_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_uint8(ptr,v) (*((uint8_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_int16(ptr,v) (*((int16_t *)(ptr)) = SPICE_BYTESWAP16((uint16_t)(v)))
-#define write_uint16(ptr,v) (*((uint16_t *)(ptr)) = SPICE_BYTESWAP16((uint16_t)(v)))
-#define write_int32(ptr,v) (*((int32_t *)(ptr)) = SPICE_BYTESWAP32((uint32_t)(v)))
-#define write_uint32(ptr,v) (*((uint32_t *)(ptr)) = SPICE_BYTESWAP32((uint32_t)(v)))
-#define write_int64(ptr,v) (*((int64_t *)(ptr)) = SPICE_BYTESWAP64((uint64_t)(v)))
-#define write_uint64(ptr,v) (*((uint64_t *)(ptr)) = SPICE_BYTESWAP64((uint64_t)(v)))
+#define write_int16(ptr,v) (((uint16_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = SPICE_BYTESWAP16((uint16_t)(v)))
+#define write_uint16(ptr,v) (((uint16_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = SPICE_BYTESWAP16((uint16_t)(v)))
+#define write_int32(ptr,v) (((uint32_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = SPICE_BYTESWAP32((uint32_t)(v)))
+#define write_uint32(ptr,v) (((uint32_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = SPICE_BYTESWAP32((uint32_t)(v)))
+#define write_int64(ptr,v) (((uint64_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = SPICE_BYTESWAP64((uint64_t)(v)))
+#define write_uint64(ptr,v) (((uint64_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = SPICE_BYTESWAP64((uint64_t)(v)))
 #else
-#define write_int8(ptr,v) (*((int8_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_uint8(ptr,v) (*((uint8_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_int16(ptr,v) (*((int16_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_uint16(ptr,v) (*((uint16_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_int32(ptr,v) (*((int32_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_uint32(ptr,v) (*((uint32_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_int64(ptr,v) (*((int64_t *)(ptr)) = v)
-#define write_uint64(ptr,v) (*((uint64_t *)(ptr)) = v)
+#define write_int16(ptr,v) (((int16_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = v)
+#define write_uint16(ptr,v) (((uint16_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = v)
+#define write_int32(ptr,v) (((int32_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = v)
+#define write_uint32(ptr,v) (((uint32_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = v)
+#define write_int64(ptr,v) (((int64_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = v)
+#define write_uint64(ptr,v) (((uint64_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->val = v)
 #endif
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/python_modules/demarshal.py b/python_modules/demarshal.py
index 1ea131d..da87d44 100644
--- a/python_modules/demarshal.py
+++ b/python_modules/demarshal.py
@@ -40,24 +40,37 @@ def write_parser_helpers(writer):
 
     writer = writer.function_helper()
 
+    writer.writeln("#include <spice/start-packed.h>")
+    for size in [16, 32, 64]:
+        for sign in ["", "u"]:
+            type = "%sint%d" % (sign, size)
+            writer.begin_block("typedef struct SPICE_ATTR_PACKED")
+            writer.variable_def("%s_t" % type, "v")
+            writer.end_block(newline=False)
+            writer.writeln(" %s_unaligned_t;" % type)
+    writer.writeln("#include <spice/end-packed.h>")
+    writer.newline()
+
+    for sign in ["", "u"]:
+        type = "%sint8" % sign
+        writer.macro("read_%s" % type, "ptr", "(*((%s_t *)(ptr)))" % type)
+        writer.macro("write_%s" % type, "ptr, val", "*(%s_t *)(ptr) = val" % (type))
+    writer.newline()
+
     writer.writeln("#ifdef WORDS_BIGENDIAN")
-    for size in [8, 16, 32, 64]:
+    for size in [16, 32, 64]:
         for sign in ["", "u"]:
             utype = "uint%d" % (size)
             type = "%sint%d" % (sign, size)
             swap = "SPICE_BYTESWAP%d" % size
-            if size == 8:
-                writer.macro("read_%s" % type, "ptr", "(*((%s_t *)(ptr)))" % type)
-                writer.macro("write_%s" % type, "ptr, val", "*(%s_t *)(ptr) = val" % (type))
-            else:
-                writer.macro("read_%s" % type, "ptr", "((%s_t)%s(*((%s_t *)(ptr))))" % (type, swap, utype))
-                writer.macro("write_%s" % type, "ptr, val", "*(%s_t *)(ptr) = %s((%s_t)val)" % (utype, swap, utype))
+            writer.macro("read_%s" % type, "ptr", "((%s_t)%s(((%s_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->v))" % (type, swap, utype))
+            writer.macro("write_%s" % type, "ptr, val", "((%s_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->v = %s((%s_t)val)" % (utype, swap, utype))
     writer.writeln("#else")
-    for size in [8, 16, 32, 64]:
+    for size in [16, 32, 64]:
         for sign in ["", "u"]:
             type = "%sint%d" % (sign, size)
-            writer.macro("read_%s" % type, "ptr", "(*((%s_t *)(ptr)))" % type)
-            writer.macro("write_%s" % type, "ptr, val", "(*((%s_t *)(ptr))) = val" % type)
+            writer.macro("read_%s" % type, "ptr", "(((%s_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->v)" % type)
+            writer.macro("write_%s" % type, "ptr, val", "(((%s_unaligned_t *)(ptr))->v) = val" % type)
     writer.writeln("#endif")
 
     for size in [8, 16, 32, 64]: