diff --git a/src/system/kernel/debug/debug_heap.cpp b/src/system/kernel/debug/debug_heap.cpp
index 531e44b81a..633b89ef64 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/debug/debug_heap.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/debug/debug_heap.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 #define INITIAL_HEAP_SIZE	B_PAGE_SIZE
 
-static char sInitialHeap[INITIAL_HEAP_SIZE];
+static char sInitialHeap[INITIAL_HEAP_SIZE] __attribute__ ((aligned (8)));
 static void* sHeapBase = sInitialHeap;
 static size_t sHeapSize = INITIAL_HEAP_SIZE;