diff --git a/lib/if.h b/lib/if.h
index 841ce51..2116e12 100644
--- a/lib/if.h
+++ b/lib/if.h
@@ -103,7 +103,13 @@
 
   /* Hardware address. */
 #ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL
-  struct sockaddr_dl sdl;
+  union {
+    /* note that sdl_storage is never accessed, it only exists to make space.
+     * all actual uses refer to sdl - but use sizeof(sdl_storage)!  this fits
+     * best with C aliasing rules. */
+    struct sockaddr_dl sdl;
+    struct sockaddr_storage sdl_storage;
+  };
 #else
   unsigned short hw_type;
   u_char hw_addr[INTERFACE_HWADDR_MAX];
diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index 61c6f73..d316596 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@
   ifp->mtu6 = stream_getl (s);
   ifp->bandwidth = stream_getl (s);
 #ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL
-  stream_get (&ifp->sdl, s, sizeof (ifp->sdl));
+  stream_get (&ifp->sdl, s, sizeof (ifp->sdl_storage));
 #else
   ifp->hw_addr_len = stream_getl (s);
   if (ifp->hw_addr_len)