diff --git a/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c b/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c
index 0ddf03df62688..f451268f6c384 100644
--- a/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c
+++ b/arch/mips/mti-malta/malta-dtshim.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #define  ROCIT_CONFIG_GEN1_MEMMAP_SHIFT	8
 #define  ROCIT_CONFIG_GEN1_MEMMAP_MASK	(0xf << 8)
 
-static unsigned char fdt_buf[16 << 10] __initdata;
+static unsigned char fdt_buf[16 << 10] __initdata __aligned(8);
 
 /* determined physical memory size, not overridden by command line args	 */
 extern unsigned long physical_memsize;