diff --git a/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h b/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h
index 7ffe562e7ae7faf5ee45015bb2cb8581b48b5758..2627b038b6f2a2886ea43b279f308a2516ad2d0a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #ifndef _PERF_XYARRAY_H_
 #define _PERF_XYARRAY_H_ 1
 
+#include <linux/compiler.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
 struct xyarray {
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ struct xyarray {
 	size_t entries;
 	size_t max_x;
 	size_t max_y;
-	char contents[];
+	char contents[] __aligned(8);
 };
 
 struct xyarray *xyarray__new(int xlen, int ylen, size_t entry_size);