diff --git a/flight/PiOS/STM32F10x/pios_usb_hid.c b/flight/PiOS/STM32F10x/pios_usb_hid.c
index e0c013fa4..69c6a7309 100644
--- a/flight/PiOS/STM32F10x/pios_usb_hid.c
+++ b/flight/PiOS/STM32F10x/pios_usb_hid.c
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ static uint8_t transfer_possible = 0;
 static uint8_t rx_packet_buffer[PIOS_USB_HID_DATA_LENGTH + 2] = { 0 };
 static uint8_t tx_packet_buffer[PIOS_USB_HID_DATA_LENGTH + 2] = { 0 };
 
-uint8_t rx_pios_fifo_buf[1024];
+uint8_t rx_pios_fifo_buf[1024] __attribute__ ((aligned(4)));    // align to 32-bit to try and provide speed improvement
 t_fifo_buffer rx_pios_fifo_buffer;
 
-uint8_t tx_pios_fifo_buf[1024];
+uint8_t tx_pios_fifo_buf[1024] __attribute__ ((aligned(4)));    // align to 32-bit to try and provide speed improvement
 t_fifo_buffer tx_pios_fifo_buffer;
 /**
  * Initialises USB COM layer
diff --git a/flight/PiOS/inc/pios_usart_priv.h b/flight/PiOS/inc/pios_usart_priv.h
index a73b5ebf5..0ca8f0d38 100644
--- a/flight/PiOS/inc/pios_usart_priv.h
+++ b/flight/PiOS/inc/pios_usart_priv.h
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ struct pios_usart_cfg {
 struct pios_usart_dev {
 	const struct pios_usart_cfg *const cfg;
 
-	uint8_t rx_buffer[UART_BUFFER_SIZE];
+	uint8_t rx_buffer[UART_BUFFER_SIZE] __attribute__ ((aligned(4)));    // align to 32-bit to try and provide speed improvement;
 	t_fifo_buffer rx;
 
-        uint8_t tx_buffer[UART_BUFFER_SIZE];
+        uint8_t tx_buffer[UART_BUFFER_SIZE] __attribute__ ((aligned(4)));    // align to 32-bit to try and provide speed improvement;
 	t_fifo_buffer tx;
 };