diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object.c
index 2be6109d0093..5706d471692d 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object.c
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ void i915_gem_object_init(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj,
 			  const struct drm_i915_gem_object_ops *ops,
 			  struct lock_class_key *key, unsigned flags)
 {
+	/*
+	 * A gem object is embedded both in a struct ttm_buffer_object :/ and
+	 * in a drm_i915_gem_object. Make sure they are aliased.
+	 */
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(typeof(*obj), base) !=
+		     offsetof(typeof(*obj), __do_not_access.base));
+
 	spin_lock_init(&obj->vma.lock);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&obj->vma.list);
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object_types.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object_types.h
index f5b46d11e6e6..d047ea126029 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object_types.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_object_types.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <linux/mmu_notifier.h>
 
 #include <drm/drm_gem.h>
+#include <drm/ttm/ttm_bo_api.h>
 #include <uapi/drm/i915_drm.h>
 
 #include "i915_active.h"
@@ -99,7 +100,16 @@ struct i915_gem_object_page_iter {
 };
 
 struct drm_i915_gem_object {
-	struct drm_gem_object base;
+	/*
+	 * We might have reason to revisit the below since it wastes
+	 * a lot of space for non-ttm gem objects.
+	 * In any case, always use the accessors for the ttm_buffer_object
+	 * when accessing it.
+	 */
+	union {
+		struct drm_gem_object base;
+		struct ttm_buffer_object __do_not_access;
+	};
 
 	const struct drm_i915_gem_object_ops *ops;