diff --git a/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/README.md b/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/README.md
index 7d72cab2..5012b78d 100644
--- a/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/README.md
+++ b/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/README.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 The type erasure is usually done in two stages with `iox2_foo_storage_t` and `iox2_foo_t`.
 
 The `iox2_foo_storage_t` is the storage for the Rust type `Option<Foo>` and must match the size and alignment of `Option<Foo>`.
-If the internal storage must hold multiple types, the size and alignment is respectively the max value of the types.
+If the internal storage must hold multiple types, a union can be used.
 The struct is not supposed to be used standalone but always in combination with an `iox2_foo_t`.
 Assuming the size is 160 and the alignment is 8, then the storage is defined as following
 ```rs
diff --git a/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node.rs b/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node.rs
index a81e104f..2d7e654f 100644
--- a/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node.rs
+++ b/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node.rs
@@ -19,12 +19,10 @@ use crate::{
 
 use iceoryx2::node::{NodeListFailure, NodeView};
 use iceoryx2::prelude::*;
-use iceoryx2::service;
-use iceoryx2_bb_elementary::math::max;
 use iceoryx2_bb_elementary::static_assert::*;
 
 use core::ffi::{c_int, c_void};
-use core::mem::{align_of, size_of, MaybeUninit};
+use core::mem::{align_of, size_of, ManuallyDrop, MaybeUninit};
 use std::alloc::{alloc, dealloc, Layout};
 
 // BEGIN type definition
@@ -49,46 +47,60 @@ impl IntoCInt for NodeListFailure {
     }
 }
 
+pub(crate) union NodeUnion {
+    ipc: ManuallyDrop<Node<zero_copy::Service>>,
+    local: ManuallyDrop<Node<process_local::Service>>,
+}
+
+impl NodeUnion {
+    pub(crate) fn new_ipc(node: Node<zero_copy::Service>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            ipc: ManuallyDrop::new(node),
+        }
+    }
+    pub(crate) fn new_local(node: Node<process_local::Service>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            local: ManuallyDrop::new(node),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[repr(C)]
-#[repr(align(8))] // magic number; the larger one of align_of::<Node<zero_copy::Service>>() and align_of::<Node<process_local::Service>>()
+#[repr(align(8))] // alignment of Option<NodeUnion>
 pub struct iox2_node_storage_t {
-    internal: [u8; 8], // magic number; the larger one of size_of::<Node<zero_copy::Service>>() and size_of::<Node<process_local::Service>>()
+    internal: [u8; 16], // magic number obtained with size_of::<Option<NodeUnion>>()
 }
 
 impl iox2_node_storage_t {
     const fn assert_storage_layout() {
-        const MAX_NODE_ALIGNMENT: usize = max(
-            align_of::<Option<Node<zero_copy::Service>>>(),
-            align_of::<Option<Node<process_local::Service>>>(),
+        static_assert_ge::<
+            { align_of::<iox2_node_storage_t>() },
+            { align_of::<Option<NodeUnion>>() },
+        >();
+        static_assert_ge::<{ size_of::<iox2_node_storage_t>() }, { size_of::<Option<NodeUnion>>() }>(
         );
-        const MAX_NODE_SIZE: usize = max(
-            size_of::<Option<Node<zero_copy::Service>>>(),
-            size_of::<Option<Node<process_local::Service>>>(),
-        );
-        static_assert_ge::<{ align_of::<iox2_node_storage_t>() }, { MAX_NODE_ALIGNMENT }>();
-        static_assert_ge::<{ size_of::<iox2_node_storage_t>() }, { MAX_NODE_SIZE }>();
     }
 
-    fn init<Service: service::Service>(&mut self, node: Node<Service>) {
+    fn init(&mut self, node: NodeUnion) {
         iox2_node_storage_t::assert_storage_layout();
 
-        unsafe { &mut *(self as *mut Self).cast::<MaybeUninit<Option<Node<Service>>>>() }
+        unsafe { &mut *(self as *mut Self).cast::<MaybeUninit<Option<NodeUnion>>>() }
             .write(Some(node));
     }
 
-    unsafe fn as_option_mut<Service: service::Service>(&mut self) -> &mut Option<Node<Service>> {
-        &mut *(self as *mut Self).cast::<Option<Node<Service>>>()
+    unsafe fn as_option_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Option<NodeUnion> {
+        &mut *(self as *mut Self).cast::<Option<NodeUnion>>()
     }
 
-    unsafe fn as_option_ref<Service: service::Service>(&self) -> &Option<Node<Service>> {
-        &*(self as *const Self).cast::<Option<Node<Service>>>()
+    unsafe fn as_option_ref(&self) -> &Option<NodeUnion> {
+        &*(self as *const Self).cast::<Option<NodeUnion>>()
     }
 
-    unsafe fn _as_mut<Service: service::Service>(&mut self) -> &mut Node<Service> {
+    unsafe fn as_mut(&mut self) -> &mut NodeUnion {
         self.as_option_mut().as_mut().unwrap()
     }
 
-    unsafe fn as_ref<Service: service::Service>(&self) -> &Node<Service> {
+    unsafe fn as_ref(&self) -> &NodeUnion {
         self.as_option_ref().as_ref().unwrap()
     }
 }
@@ -103,10 +115,10 @@ pub struct iox2_node_t {
 }
 
 impl iox2_node_t {
-    pub(crate) fn init<Service: service::Service>(
+    pub(crate) fn init(
         &mut self,
         service_type: iox2_service_type_e,
-        node: Node<Service>,
+        node: NodeUnion,
         deleter: fn(*mut iox2_node_t),
     ) {
         self.service_type = service_type;
@@ -183,11 +195,9 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn iox2_node_name(node_handle: iox2_node_h) -> iox2_node_n
     let node_struct = &mut *iox2_node_t::cast(node_handle);
 
     match node_struct.service_type {
-        iox2_service_type_e::IPC => {
-            node_struct.node.as_ref::<zero_copy::Service>().name() as *const _ as *const _
-        }
+        iox2_service_type_e::IPC => node_struct.node.as_ref().ipc.name() as *const _ as *const _,
         iox2_service_type_e::LOCAL => {
-            node_struct.node.as_ref::<process_local::Service>().name() as *const _ as *const _
+            node_struct.node.as_ref().local.name() as *const _ as *const _
         }
     }
 }
@@ -204,11 +214,9 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn iox2_node_config(node_handle: iox2_node_h) -> iox2_conf
     let node_struct = &mut *iox2_node_t::cast(node_handle);
 
     match node_struct.service_type {
-        iox2_service_type_e::IPC => {
-            node_struct.node.as_ref::<zero_copy::Service>().config() as *const _ as *const _
-        }
+        iox2_service_type_e::IPC => node_struct.node.as_ref().ipc.config() as *const _ as *const _,
         iox2_service_type_e::LOCAL => {
-            node_struct.node.as_ref::<process_local::Service>().config() as *const _ as *const _
+            node_struct.node.as_ref().local.config() as *const _ as *const _
         }
     }
 }
@@ -367,18 +375,13 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn iox2_node_drop(node_handle: iox2_node_h) {
 
     match node_struct.service_type {
         iox2_service_type_e::IPC => {
-            std::ptr::drop_in_place(
-                node_struct.node.as_option_mut::<zero_copy::Service>() as *mut _
-            );
-            (node_struct.deleter)(node_struct);
+            ManuallyDrop::drop(&mut node_struct.node.as_mut().ipc);
         }
         iox2_service_type_e::LOCAL => {
-            std::ptr::drop_in_place(
-                node_struct.node.as_option_mut::<process_local::Service>() as *mut _
-            );
-            (node_struct.deleter)(node_struct);
+            ManuallyDrop::drop(&mut node_struct.node.as_mut().local);
         }
     }
+    (node_struct.deleter)(node_struct);
 }
 
 // END C API
@@ -441,10 +444,7 @@ mod test {
     fn basic_node_config_test() {
         unsafe {
             let node_handle = create_sut_node();
-            let expected_config = (*iox2_node_t::cast(node_handle))
-                .node
-                .as_ref::<zero_copy::Service>()
-                .config();
+            let expected_config = (*iox2_node_t::cast(node_handle)).node.as_ref().ipc.config();
 
             let config = iox2_node_config(node_handle);
 
@@ -458,10 +458,7 @@ mod test {
     fn basic_node_name_test() {
         unsafe {
             let node_handle = create_sut_node();
-            let expected_node_name = (*iox2_node_t::cast(node_handle))
-                .node
-                .as_ref::<zero_copy::Service>()
-                .name();
+            let expected_node_name = (*iox2_node_t::cast(node_handle)).node.as_ref().ipc.name();
             assert_that!(expected_node_name.as_str(), eq("hypnotoad"));
 
             let node_name = iox2_node_name(node_handle);
diff --git a/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node_builder.rs b/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node_builder.rs
index edf25ef5..c9999693 100644
--- a/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node_builder.rs
+++ b/iceoryx2-ffi/ffi/src/node_builder.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 use crate::{
     iox2_node_h, iox2_node_name_drop, iox2_node_name_h, iox2_node_name_t, iox2_node_t,
-    iox2_service_type_e, IntoCInt, IOX2_OK,
+    iox2_service_type_e, IntoCInt, NodeUnion, IOX2_OK,
 };
 
 use iceoryx2::node::NodeCreationFailure;
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ impl IntoCInt for NodeCreationFailure {
 }
 
 #[repr(C)]
-#[repr(align(8))] // alignment of NodeBuilder
+#[repr(align(8))] // alignment of Option<NodeBuilder>
 pub struct iox2_node_builder_storage_t {
-    internal: [u8; 18432], // magic number obtained with size_of::<NodeBuilder>()
+    internal: [u8; 18432], // magic number obtained with size_of::<Option<NodeBuilder>>()
 }
 
 impl iox2_node_builder_storage_t {
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn iox2_node_builder_create(
     match service_type {
         iox2_service_type_e::IPC => match node_builder.create::<zero_copy::Service>() {
             Ok(node) => unsafe {
-                (*node_struct_ptr).init(service_type, node, deleter);
+                (*node_struct_ptr).init(service_type, NodeUnion::new_ipc(node), deleter);
             },
             Err(error) => {
                 return error.into_c_int();
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn iox2_node_builder_create(
         },
         iox2_service_type_e::LOCAL => match node_builder.create::<process_local::Service>() {
             Ok(node) => unsafe {
-                (*node_struct_ptr).init(service_type, node, deleter);
+                (*node_struct_ptr).init(service_type, NodeUnion::new_local(node), deleter);
             },
             Err(error) => {
                 return error.into_c_int();