diff --git a/src/core/openjph/ojph_mem.h b/src/core/openjph/ojph_mem.h
index 599f36d..d9f22b5 100644
--- a/src/core/openjph/ojph_mem.h
+++ b/src/core/openjph/ojph_mem.h
@@ -245,11 +245,19 @@ namespace ojph {
   private:
     struct stores_list
     {
+      // Payload (coded_lists + bitstream) must start at a multiple of 16 bytes.
+      // Otherwise coded_lists::buf can be 4 mod 8, which causes misalignment
+      // on 32-bit architectures. So round sizeof(stores_list) to next
+      // multiple of 16.
+      static constexpr ui32 stores_list_size16()
+      {
+        return (ui32) ((sizeof (stores_list) + 15u) & ~15u);
+      }
       stores_list(ui32 available_bytes)
       {
         this->next_store = NULL;
         this->orig_size = this->available = available_bytes;
-        this->orig_data = this->data = (ui8*)this + sizeof(stores_list);
+        this->orig_data = this->data = (ui8*)this + stores_list_size16();
       }
       void restart()
       {
@@ -259,7 +267,7 @@ namespace ojph {
       }
       static ui32 eval_store_bytes(ui32 available_bytes)
       { // calculates how many bytes need to be allocated
-        return available_bytes + (ui32)sizeof(stores_list);
+        return available_bytes + stores_list_size16();
       }
       stores_list *next_store;
       ui8 *orig_data, *data;
diff --git a/src/core/others/ojph_mem.cpp b/src/core/others/ojph_mem.cpp
index fcb9e63..ca7a561 100644
--- a/src/core/others/ojph_mem.cpp
+++ b/src/core/others/ojph_mem.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,10 @@ namespace ojph {
   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   void mem_elastic_allocator::get_buffer(ui32 needed_bytes, coded_lists* &p)
   {
-    ui32 extended_bytes = needed_bytes + (ui32)sizeof(coded_lists);
+    // Round up so each coded_lists (and coded_lists::buf) stays 16-byte aligned
+    // within the store; avoids alignment fault on 32-bit architectures
+    ui32 raw = needed_bytes + (ui32)sizeof (coded_lists);
+    ui32 extended_bytes = (raw + 15u) & ~15u;
 
     if (store == NULL)
       cur_store = store = allocate(&store, extended_bytes);