diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
index c94a9e03ecf1..e99a67632831 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ struct perf_mmap {
 	int		 mask;
 	int		 refcnt;
 	unsigned int	 prev;
-	char		 event_copy[PERF_SAMPLE_MAX_SIZE];
+	char		 event_copy[PERF_SAMPLE_MAX_SIZE] __attribute__((aligned(8)));
 };
 
 struct perf_evlist {