diff --git a/mps/code/eventcom.h b/mps/code/eventcom.h
index ca4af0b6b00..131bc8e1823 100644
--- a/mps/code/eventcom.h
+++ b/mps/code/eventcom.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ typedef union EventClockUnion {
 
 #define EVENT_CLOCK(lvalue) \
   BEGIN \
-    __declspec(align(16)) LARGE_INTEGER _count; \
+    LARGE_INTEGER _count; \
     QueryPerformanceCounter(&_count); \
     (lvalue) = _count.QuadPart; \
   END