diff --git a/src/bootldr/fileops.h b/src/bootldr/fileops.h
index 8f55a70..3588740 100644
--- a/src/bootldr/fileops.h
+++ b/src/bootldr/fileops.h
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@
 
 enum filestates { FILE_OK=0, FILE_ERR, FILE_EOF };
 
-BYTE file_buf[512];
+#define GCC_ALIGN_WORKAROUND __attribute__ ((aligned(4)))
+BYTE file_buf[512] GCC_ALIGN_WORKAROUND;
+
 FATFS fatfs;
 FIL file_handle;
 FRESULT file_res;