diff --git a/lfs.c b/lfs.c
index b55ca1a8..68f7a9d3 100644
--- a/lfs.c
+++ b/lfs.c
@@ -11452,10 +11452,7 @@ int lfsr_file_sync(lfs_t *lfs, lfsr_file_t *file) {
         lfsr_attr_t attrs[2];
         lfs_size_t attr_count = 0;
         lfsr_data_t name_data;
-        union {
-            lfsr_data_t data;
-            uint8_t buf[LFSR_BTREE_DSIZE];
-        } data;
+        uint8_t buf[LFSR_BTREE_DSIZE];
 
         // not created yet? need to convert orphan to normal file
         if (lfsr_f_isorphan(file->m.flags)) {
@@ -11481,10 +11478,9 @@ int lfsr_file_sync(lfs_t *lfs, lfsr_file_t *file) {
                     LFSR_DATA_NULL());
         // small file inlined in mdir?
         } else if (lfsr_f_isunflush(file->m.flags)) {
-            data.data = LFSR_DATA_BUF(file->buffer.buffer, file->buffer.size);
             attrs[attr_count++] = LFSR_ATTR_CAT_(
                     LFSR_TAG_SUB | LFSR_TAG_DATA, 0,
-                    &data.data, 1);
+                    (const lfsr_data_t*)&file->buffer, 1);
         // bshrub?
         } else if (lfsr_bshrub_isbshrub(&file->m.mdir, &file->bshrub)) {
             attrs[attr_count++] = LFSR_ATTR_SHRUBTRUNK(
@@ -11494,7 +11490,7 @@ int lfsr_file_sync(lfs_t *lfs, lfsr_file_t *file) {
         } else if (lfsr_bshrub_isbtree(&file->m.mdir, &file->bshrub)) {
             attrs[attr_count++] = LFSR_ATTR(
                     LFSR_TAG_SUB | LFSR_TAG_BTREE, 0,
-                    LFSR_DATA_BTREE_(&file->bshrub.u.btree, data.buf));
+                    LFSR_DATA_BTREE_(&file->bshrub.u.btree, buf));
         } else {
             LFS_UNREACHABLE();
         }
diff --git a/lfs.h b/lfs.h
index 04d8eefb..28824cc9 100644
--- a/lfs.h
+++ b/lfs.h
@@ -519,10 +519,11 @@ typedef struct lfsr_file {
     lfsr_bshrub_t bshrub_;
     lfs_off_t pos;
 
+    // note this lines up with lfsr_data_t's buffer representation
     struct {
-        lfs_off_t pos;
         lfs_off_t size;
         uint8_t *buffer;
+        lfs_off_t pos;
     } buffer;
 
     lfs_block_t eblock;