diff --git a/include/zmq.h b/include/zmq.h
index 5d90ba0c..8dc47f39 100644
--- a/include/zmq.h
+++ b/include/zmq.h
@@ -214,8 +214,10 @@ typedef struct zmq_msg_t {
         (defined (__SUNPRO_C) && __SUNPRO_C >= 0x590) || \
         (defined (__SUNPRO_CC) && __SUNPRO_CC >= 0x590)
     unsigned char _ [64] __attribute__ ((aligned (sizeof (void *))));
-#elif defined(_MSC_VER)
-    __declspec (align (sizeof (void *))) unsigned char _ [64];
+#elif defined (_MSC_VER) && (defined (_M_X64) || defined (_M_ARM64))
+    __declspec (align (8)) unsigned char _ [64];
+#elif defined (_MSC_VER) && (defined (_M_IX86) || defined (_M_ARM_ARMV7VE))
+    __declspec (align (4)) unsigned char _ [64];
 #else
     unsigned char _ [64];
 #endif