diff --git a/include/utils/Flattenable.h b/include/utils/Flattenable.h
index 882a8b249..c37ac60c7 100644
--- a/include/utils/Flattenable.h
+++ b/include/utils/Flattenable.h
@@ -19,10 +19,13 @@
 
 
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <utils/Errors.h>
 #include <utils/Debug.h>
 
+#include <type_traits>
+
 namespace android {
 
 
@@ -60,14 +63,18 @@ public:
     // write a POD structure
     template<typename T>
     static void write(void*& buffer, size_t& size, const T& value) {
-        *static_cast<T*>(buffer) = value;
+        static_assert(std::is_trivially_copyable<T>::value,
+                      "Cannot flatten a non-trivially-copyable type");
+        memcpy(buffer, &value, sizeof(T));
         advance(buffer, size, sizeof(T));
     }
 
     // read a POD structure
     template<typename T>
     static void read(void const*& buffer, size_t& size, T& value) {
-        value = *static_cast<T const*>(buffer);
+        static_assert(std::is_trivially_copyable<T>::value,
+                      "Cannot unflatten a non-trivially-copyable type");
+        memcpy(&value, buffer, sizeof(T));
         advance(buffer, size, sizeof(T));
     }
 };