diff --git a/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c b/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c
index c398582c316f..4fc73ee2ca9d 100644
--- a/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c
+++ b/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #define  ROCIT_CONFIG_GEN1_MEMMAP_SHIFT	8
 #define  ROCIT_CONFIG_GEN1_MEMMAP_MASK	(0xf << 8)
 
-static unsigned char fdt_buf[16 << 10] __initdata;
+static unsigned char fdt_buf[16 << 10] __initdata __aligned(8);
 
 /* determined physical memory size, not overridden by command line args	 */
 extern unsigned long physical_memsize;