diff --git a/drivers/iio/light/rpr0521.c b/drivers/iio/light/rpr0521.c
index aa2972b04833..31224a33bade 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/light/rpr0521.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/light/rpr0521.c
@@ -194,6 +194,17 @@ struct rpr0521_data {
 	bool pxs_need_dis;
 
 	struct regmap *regmap;
+
+	/*
+	 * Ensure correct naturally aligned timestamp.
+	 * Note that the read will put garbage data into
+	 * the padding but this should not be a problem
+	 */
+	struct {
+		__le16 channels[3];
+		u8 garbage;
+		s64 ts __aligned(8);
+	} scan;
 };
 
 static IIO_CONST_ATTR(in_intensity_scale_available, RPR0521_ALS_SCALE_AVAIL);
@@ -449,8 +460,6 @@ static irqreturn_t rpr0521_trigger_consumer_handler(int irq, void *p)
 	struct rpr0521_data *data = iio_priv(indio_dev);
 	int err;
 
-	u8 buffer[16]; /* 3 16-bit channels + padding + ts */
-
 	/* Use irq timestamp when reasonable. */
 	if (iio_trigger_using_own(indio_dev) && data->irq_timestamp) {
 		pf->timestamp = data->irq_timestamp;
@@ -461,11 +470,11 @@ static irqreturn_t rpr0521_trigger_consumer_handler(int irq, void *p)
 		pf->timestamp = iio_get_time_ns(indio_dev);
 
 	err = regmap_bulk_read(data->regmap, RPR0521_REG_PXS_DATA,
-		&buffer,
+		data->scan.channels,
 		(3 * 2) + 1);	/* 3 * 16-bit + (discarded) int clear reg. */
 	if (!err)
 		iio_push_to_buffers_with_timestamp(indio_dev,
-						   buffer, pf->timestamp);
+						   &data->scan, pf->timestamp);
 	else
 		dev_err(&data->client->dev,
 			"Trigger consumer can't read from sensor.\n");