diff --git a/resolv/res_mkquery.c b/resolv/res_mkquery.c
index d80b5318e5..99d7d96027 100644
--- a/resolv/res_mkquery.c
+++ b/resolv/res_mkquery.c
@@ -83,6 +83,15 @@
 # define RANDOM_BITS(Var) { uint64_t v64; HP_TIMING_NOW (v64); Var = v64; }
 #endif
 
+/* The structure HEADER is normally aligned to a word boundary and its
+   fields are accessed using word loads and stores.  We need to access
+   this structure when it is aligned on a byte boundary.  This can cause
+   problems on machines with strict alignment.  So, we create a new
+   typedef to reduce its alignment to one.  This ensures the fields are
+   accessed with byte loads and stores.  */
+typedef HEADER __attribute__ ((__aligned__(1))) UHEADER;
+#define HEADER UHEADER
+
 int
 __res_context_mkquery (struct resolv_context *ctx, int op, const char *dname,
                        int class, int type, const unsigned char *data,
diff --git a/resolv/res_query.c b/resolv/res_query.c
index 07dc6f6583..f26338bc9b 100644
--- a/resolv/res_query.c
+++ b/resolv/res_query.c
@@ -81,6 +81,14 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <shlib-compat.h>
 
+/* The structure HEADER is normally aligned to a word boundary and its
+   fields are accessed using word loads and stores.  We need to access 
+   this structure when it is aligned on a byte boundary.  This can cause
+   problems on machines with strict alignment.  So, we create a new
+   typedef to reduce its alignment to one.  This ensures the fields are
+   accessed with byte loads and stores.  */
+typedef HEADER __attribute__ ((__aligned__(1))) UHEADER;
+
 #if PACKETSZ > 65536
 #define MAXPACKET	PACKETSZ
 #else
@@ -117,8 +125,8 @@ __libc_res_nquery(res_state statp,
 		     int *nanswerp2, int *resplen2, int *answerp2_malloced)
 {
 	struct __res_state *statp = ctx->resp;
-	HEADER *hp = (HEADER *) answer;
-	HEADER *hp2;
+	UHEADER *hp = (UHEADER *) answer;
+	UHEADER *hp2;
 	int n, use_malloc = 0;
 
 	size_t bufsize = (type == T_QUERY_A_AND_AAAA ? 2 : 1) * QUERYSIZE;
@@ -235,7 +243,7 @@ __libc_res_nquery(res_state statp,
 
 	if (answerp != NULL)
 	  /* __res_context_send might have reallocated the buffer.  */
-	  hp = (HEADER *) *answerp;
+	  hp = (UHEADER *) *answerp;
 
 	/* We simplify the following tests by assigning HP to HP2 or
 	   vice versa.  It is easy to verify that this is the same as
@@ -246,7 +254,7 @@ __libc_res_nquery(res_state statp,
 	  }
 	else
 	  {
-	    hp2 = (HEADER *) *answerp2;
+	    hp2 = (UHEADER *) *answerp2;
 	    if (n < (int) sizeof (HEADER))
 	      {
 	        hp = hp2;
@@ -336,7 +344,7 @@ __libc_res_nsearch(res_state statp,
 {
 	struct __res_state *statp = ctx->resp;
 	const char *cp;
-	HEADER *hp = (HEADER *) answer;
+	UHEADER *hp = (UHEADER *) answer;
 	char tmp[NS_MAXDNAME];
 	u_int dots;
 	int trailing_dot, ret, saved_herrno;
diff --git a/resolv/res_send.c b/resolv/res_send.c
index 93db5b9a61..36a389509d 100644
--- a/resolv/res_send.c
+++ b/resolv/res_send.c
@@ -110,6 +110,15 @@
 #include <libc-diag.h>
 #include <hp-timing.h>
 
+/* The structure HEADER is normally aligned to a word boundary and its
+   fields are accessed using word loads and stores.  We need to access 
+   this structure when it is aligned on a byte boundary.  This can cause
+   problems on machines with strict alignment.  So, we create a new
+   typedef to reduce its alignment to one.  This ensures the fields are
+   accessed with byte loads and stores.  */
+typedef HEADER __attribute__ ((__aligned__(1))) UHEADER;
+#define HEADER UHEADER
+
 #if PACKETSZ > 65536
 #define MAXPACKET       PACKETSZ
 #else