diff --git a/fs/select.c b/fs/select.c
index b3a3a1326af..071660fa7b0 100644
--- a/fs/select.c
+++ b/fs/select.c
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ static int core_sys_select(int n, fd_set __user *inp, fd_set __user *outp,
 	int ret, size, max_fdset;
 	struct fdtable *fdt;
 	/* Allocate small arguments on the stack to save memory and be faster */
-	char stack_fds[SELECT_STACK_ALLOC];
+	long stack_fds[SELECT_STACK_ALLOC/sizeof(long)];
 
 	ret = -EINVAL;
 	if (n < 0)
@@ -639,8 +639,10 @@ int do_sys_poll(struct pollfd __user *ufds, unsigned int nfds, s64 *timeout)
  	struct poll_list *walk;
 	struct fdtable *fdt;
 	int max_fdset;
-	/* Allocate small arguments on the stack to save memory and be faster */
-	char stack_pps[POLL_STACK_ALLOC];
+	/* Allocate small arguments on the stack to save memory and be
+	   faster - use long to make sure the buffer is aligned properly
+	   on 64 bit archs to avoid unaligned access */
+	long stack_pps[POLL_STACK_ALLOC/sizeof(long)];
 	struct poll_list *stack_pp = NULL;
 
 	/* Do a sanity check on nfds ... */