diff --git a/include/libtorrent/socket_type.hpp b/include/libtorrent/socket_type.hpp
index 8283add41..a1ad28dc4 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/socket_type.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/socket_type.hpp
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			>::value
 		};
 
-		boost::aligned_storage<storage_size, 16>::type m_data;
+		boost::aligned_storage<storage_size, 8>::type m_data;
 	};
 
 	// returns true if this socket is an SSL socket