diff --git a/tests/testutil.cpp b/tests/testutil.cpp
index c602b0ca..4becce81 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.cpp
+++ b/tests/testutil.cpp
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ fd_t connect_socket (const char *endpoint_, const int af_, const int protocol_)
 {
     struct sockaddr_storage addr;
     //  OSX is very opinionated and wants the size to match the AF family type
-    socklen_t addr_len = sizeof (addr);
+    socklen_t addr_len;
     const fd_t s_pre = socket (af_, SOCK_STREAM, protocol_);
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_EQUAL (-1, s_pre);
 
@@ -406,15 +406,16 @@ fd_t connect_socket (const char *endpoint_, const int af_, const int protocol_)
         memcpy (&addr, in->ai_addr, in->ai_addrlen);
         addr_len = (socklen_t) in->ai_addrlen;
         freeaddrinfo (in);
-    }
+    } else {
 #if defined(ZMQ_HAVE_IPC)
-    else {
-        struct sockaddr_un *un_addr = (struct sockaddr_un *) &addr;
+        //  Cannot cast addr as gcc 4.4 will fail with strict aliasing errors
+        (*(struct sockaddr_un *) &addr).sun_family = AF_UNIX;
+        strcpy ((*(struct sockaddr_un *) &addr).sun_path, endpoint_);
         addr_len = sizeof (struct sockaddr_un);
-        un_addr->sun_family = AF_UNIX;
-        strcpy (un_addr->sun_path, endpoint_);
-    }
+#else
+        return retired_fd;
 #endif
+    }
 
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_RAW_ERRNO (
       connect (s_pre, (struct sockaddr *) &addr, addr_len));
@@ -430,7 +431,7 @@ fd_t bind_socket_resolve_port (const char *address_,
 {
     struct sockaddr_storage addr;
     //  OSX is very opinionated and wants the size to match the AF family type
-    socklen_t addr_len = sizeof (addr);
+    socklen_t addr_len;
     const fd_t s_pre = socket (af_, SOCK_STREAM, protocol_);
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_EQUAL (-1, s_pre);
 
@@ -460,12 +461,11 @@ fd_t bind_socket_resolve_port (const char *address_,
         memcpy (&addr, in->ai_addr, in->ai_addrlen);
         addr_len = (socklen_t) in->ai_addrlen;
         freeaddrinfo (in);
-    }
+    } else {
 #if defined(ZMQ_HAVE_IPC)
-    else {
-        struct sockaddr_un *un_addr = (struct sockaddr_un *) &addr;
+        //  Cannot cast addr as gcc 4.4 will fail with strict aliasing errors
+        (*(struct sockaddr_un *) &addr).sun_family = AF_UNIX;
         addr_len = sizeof (struct sockaddr_un);
-        un_addr->sun_family = AF_UNIX;
 #if defined ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
         char buffer[MAX_PATH] = "";
 
@@ -484,14 +484,16 @@ fd_t bind_socket_resolve_port (const char *address_,
         close (fd);
 #endif
 #endif
-        strcpy (un_addr->sun_path, buffer);
+        strcpy ((*(struct sockaddr_un *) &addr).sun_path, buffer);
         memcpy (my_endpoint_, "ipc://", 7);
         strcat (my_endpoint_, buffer);
 
         // TODO check return value of unlink
         unlink (buffer);
-    }
+#else
+        return retired_fd;
 #endif
+    }
 
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_RAW_ERRNO (
       bind (s_pre, (struct sockaddr *) &addr, addr_len));
@@ -504,8 +506,8 @@ fd_t bind_socket_resolve_port (const char *address_,
         sprintf (my_endpoint_, "%s://%s:%u",
                  protocol_ == IPPROTO_TCP ? "tcp" : "udp", address_,
                  af_ == AF_INET
-                   ? ntohs (((struct sockaddr_in *) &addr)->sin_port)
-                   : ntohs (((struct sockaddr_in6 *) &addr)->sin6_port));
+                   ? ntohs ((*(struct sockaddr_in *) &addr).sin_port)
+                   : ntohs ((*(struct sockaddr_in6 *) &addr).sin6_port));
     }
 
     return s_pre;