diff --git a/src/XDR.cc b/src/XDR.cc
index 4e6a05ff10..9e2074f1ac 100644
--- a/src/XDR.cc
+++ b/src/XDR.cc
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ uint32 extract_XDR_uint32(const u_char*& buf, int& len)
 		return 0;
 		}
 
-	uint32 bits32 = XDR_aligned(buf) ? *(uint32*) buf :
-		((buf[0] << 24) | (buf[1] << 16) | (buf[2] << 8) | buf[3]);
+	// takes care of alignment and endianess differences. 
+	uint32 bits32 = (buf[0] << 24) | (buf[1] << 16) | (buf[2] << 8) | buf[3];
 
 	buf += 4;
 	len -= 4;
 
-	return ntohl(bits32);
+	return bits32;
 	}
 
 double extract_XDR_uint64_as_double(const u_char*& buf, int& len)
diff --git a/src/XDR.h b/src/XDR.h
index 070e13ee6c..047acd90f5 100644
--- a/src/XDR.h
+++ b/src/XDR.h
@@ -10,11 +10,6 @@
 
 #include "util.h"
 
-inline int XDR_aligned(const u_char* buf)
-	{
-	return (((unsigned long) buf) & 0x3) == 0;
-	}
-
 extern uint32 extract_XDR_uint32(const u_char*& buf, int& len);
 extern double extract_XDR_uint64_as_double(const u_char*& buf, int& len);
 extern double extract_XDR_time(const u_char*& buf, int& len);