diff --git a/localtime.c b/localtime.c
index a77ac82..0f11caa 100644
--- a/localtime.c
+++ b/localtime.c
@@ -302,27 +302,23 @@ register struct state * const	sp;
 	}
 	{
 		struct tzhead *	tzhp;
-		char		buf[sizeof *sp + sizeof *tzhp];
+		union {
+		  struct tzhead tzhead;
+		  char		buf[sizeof *sp + sizeof *tzhp];
+		} u;
 		int		ttisstdcnt;
 		int		ttisgmtcnt;
 
-		i = read(fid, buf, sizeof buf);
+		i = read(fid, u.buf, sizeof u.buf);
 		if (close(fid) != 0)
 			return -1;
-		p = buf;
-		p += sizeof tzhp->tzh_reserved;
-		ttisstdcnt = (int) detzcode(p);
-		p += 4;
-		ttisgmtcnt = (int) detzcode(p);
-		p += 4;
-		sp->leapcnt = (int) detzcode(p);
-		p += 4;
-		sp->timecnt = (int) detzcode(p);
-		p += 4;
-		sp->typecnt = (int) detzcode(p);
-		p += 4;
-		sp->charcnt = (int) detzcode(p);
-		p += 4;
+		ttisstdcnt = (int) detzcode(u.tzhead.tzh_ttisgmtcnt);
+		ttisgmtcnt = (int) detzcode(u.tzhead.tzh_ttisstdcnt);
+		sp->leapcnt = (int) detzcode(u.tzhead.tzh_leapcnt);
+		sp->timecnt = (int) detzcode(u.tzhead.tzh_timecnt);
+		sp->typecnt = (int) detzcode(u.tzhead.tzh_typecnt);
+		sp->charcnt = (int) detzcode(u.tzhead.tzh_charcnt);
+		p = u.tzhead.tzh_charcnt + sizeof u.tzhead.tzh_charcnt;
 		if (sp->leapcnt < 0 || sp->leapcnt > TZ_MAX_LEAPS ||
 			sp->typecnt <= 0 || sp->typecnt > TZ_MAX_TYPES ||
 			sp->timecnt < 0 || sp->timecnt > TZ_MAX_TIMES ||
@@ -330,7 +326,7 @@ register struct state * const	sp;
 			(ttisstdcnt != sp->typecnt && ttisstdcnt != 0) ||
 			(ttisgmtcnt != sp->typecnt && ttisgmtcnt != 0))
 				return -1;
-		if (i - (p - buf) < sp->timecnt * 4 +	/* ats */
+		if (i - (p - u.buf) < sp->timecnt * 4 +	/* ats */
 			sp->timecnt +			/* types */
 			sp->typecnt * (4 + 2) +		/* ttinfos */
 			sp->charcnt +			/* chars */