diff --git a/src/sha1.cpp b/src/sha1.cpp
index c75def163..8085731b7 100644
--- a/src/sha1.cpp
+++ b/src/sha1.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ changelog at the end of the file.
 
 #include "libtorrent/sha1.hpp"
 
+#include <boost/detail/endian.hpp> // for BIG_ENDIAN and LITTLE_ENDIAN macros
+
 typedef boost::uint32_t u32;
 typedef boost::uint8_t u8;
 
diff --git a/src/torrent_peer.cpp b/src/torrent_peer.cpp
index 220e5960b..d60df55dc 100644
--- a/src/torrent_peer.cpp
+++ b/src/torrent_peer.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include "libtorrent/crc32c.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/ip_voter.hpp"
 
+#include <boost/detail/endian.hpp> // for BIG_ENDIAN and LITTLE_ENDIAN macros
+
 namespace libtorrent
 {
 	namespace {
@@ -82,8 +84,15 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			if (e1.port() > e2.port())
 				swap(e1, e2);
 			boost::uint32_t p;
-			reinterpret_cast<boost::uint16_t*>(&p)[0] = aux::host_to_network(e1.port());
-			reinterpret_cast<boost::uint16_t*>(&p)[1] = aux::host_to_network(e2.port());
+#if defined BOOST_BIG_ENDIAN
+			p = e1.port() << 16;
+			p |= e2.port();
+#elif defined BOOST_LITTLE_ENDIAN
+			p = aux::host_to_network(e2.port()) << 16;
+			p |= aux::host_to_network(e1.port());
+#else
+#error unsupported endianness
+#endif
 			ret = crc32c_32(p);
 		}
 #if TORRENT_USE_IPV6