diff --git a/numpy/core/src/arraytypes.inc.src b/numpy/core/src/arraytypes.inc.src
index a3aa90d4ac50..4d8a853ee294 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/arraytypes.inc.src
+++ b/numpy/core/src/arraytypes.inc.src
@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ UNICODE_copyswapn (char *dst, intp dstride, char *src, intp sstride,
                         b = a + 3;
                         c=*a; *a++ = *b; *b-- = c;
                         c=*a; *a++ = *b; *b-- = c;
-                        a += 1;
+                        a += 2;
                 }
         }
 }
@@ -1323,7 +1323,7 @@ UNICODE_copyswap (char *dst, char *src, int swap, PyArrayObject *arr)
                         b = a + 3;
                         c=*a; *a++ = *b; *b-- = c;
                         c=*a; *a++ = *b; *b-- = c;
-                        a += 1;
+                        a += 2;
                 }
         }
 }