diff --git a/lib/mbuf/rte_mbuf.h b/lib/mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
index babe16c72c..0d2e0e64b3 100644
--- a/lib/mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
+++ b/lib/mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
@@ -595,12 +595,15 @@ __rte_mbuf_raw_sanity_check(__rte_unused const struct rte_mbuf *m)
  */
 static inline struct rte_mbuf *rte_mbuf_raw_alloc(struct rte_mempool *mp)
 {
-	struct rte_mbuf *m;
+	union {
+		void *ptr;
+		struct rte_mbuf *m;
+	} ret;
 
-	if (rte_mempool_get(mp, (void **)&m) < 0)
+	if (rte_mempool_get(mp, &ret.ptr) < 0)
 		return NULL;
-	__rte_mbuf_raw_sanity_check(m);
-	return m;
+	__rte_mbuf_raw_sanity_check(ret.m);
+	return ret.m;
 }
 
 /**