diff --git a/p2p/server/msgserver.go b/p2p/server/msgserver.go
index c1f632fb480..622f4311c3e 100644
--- a/p2p/server/msgserver.go
+++ b/p2p/server/msgserver.go
@@ -61,8 +61,7 @@ type ResponseHandlers struct {
 // MessageServer is a request-response multiplexer on top of the p2p layer. it provides a way to register
 // message types on top of a protocol and declare request and response handlers. it matches incoming responses to requests.
 type MessageServer struct {
-	log.Log
-	ReqID              uint64 //request id
+	ReqID              uint64 //request id (must be declared first to ensure 8 byte alignment on 32-bit systems, required by atomic operations)
 	name               string //server name
 	network            Service
 	pendMutex          sync.RWMutex
@@ -74,6 +73,7 @@ type MessageServer struct {
 	workerCount        sync.WaitGroup
 	workerLimiter      chan struct{}
 	exit               chan struct{}
+	log.Log
 }
 
 // Service is the subset of method used by MessageServer for p2p communications.