diff --git a/decorate.c b/decorate.c
index 82d9e221ea..e6fd8a7441 100644
--- a/decorate.c
+++ b/decorate.c
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 
 static unsigned int hash_obj(const struct object *obj, unsigned int n)
 {
-	unsigned int hash = *(unsigned int *)obj->sha1;
+	unsigned int hash;
+
+	memcpy(&hash, obj->sha1, sizeof(unsigned int));
 	return hash % n;
 }
 
diff --git a/object.c b/object.c
index 7e6a92c88e..e1feef9c33 100644
--- a/object.c
+++ b/object.c
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ int type_from_string(const char *str)
 
 static unsigned int hash_obj(struct object *obj, unsigned int n)
 {
-	unsigned int hash = *(unsigned int *)obj->sha1;
+	unsigned int hash;
+	memcpy(&hash, obj->sha1, sizeof(unsigned int));
 	return hash % n;
 }