diff --git a/scripts/qapi-types.py b/scripts/qapi-types.py
index 5ee46ea1b3e195fbe55388495bf7eb272f9d82e7..5d31b068d68899d13055955074a280de344e4650 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi-types.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi-types.py
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ def generate_fwd_enum_struct(name, members):
     return mcgen('''
 typedef struct %(name)sList
 {
-    %(name)s value;
+    union {
+        %(name)s value;
+        uint64_t padding;
+    };
     struct %(name)sList *next;
 } %(name)sList;
 ''',