diff --git a/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.cpp b/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.cpp
index 0cbf357..4b6ea47 100644
--- a/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.cpp
+++ b/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.cpp
@@ -711,9 +711,10 @@
 
         readState_.eventSizeBuff_[readState_.eventSizeBuffPos_++] =
           readBuff_[readState_.bufferPtr_++];
+
         if (readState_.eventSizeBuffPos_ == 4) {
-          // 0 length event indicates padding
-          if (*((uint32_t *)(readState_.eventSizeBuff_)) == 0) {
+          if (readState_.getEventSize() == 0) {
+            // 0 length event indicates padding
             //            T_DEBUG_L(1, "Got padding");
             readState_.resetState(readState_.lastDispatchPtr_);
             continue;
@@ -724,7 +725,7 @@
             delete(readState_.event_);
           }
           readState_.event_ = new eventInfo();
-          readState_.event_->eventSize_ = *((uint32_t *)(readState_.eventSizeBuff_));
+          readState_.event_->eventSize_ = readState_.getEventSize();
 
           // check if the event is corrupted and perform recovery if required
           if (isEventCorrupted()) {
diff --git a/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.h b/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.h
index edfc407..267305d 100644
--- a/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.h
+++ b/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TFileTransport.h
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@
     event_ = 0;
   }
 
+  inline uint32_t getEventSize() {
+  	  const void *buffer=reinterpret_cast<const void *>(eventSizeBuff_);
+	  return *reinterpret_cast<const uint32_t *>(buffer);
+  }
+
   readState() {
     event_ = 0;
    resetAllValues();