diff --git a/tools/qfcc/include/function.h b/tools/qfcc/include/function.h
index 3a089a4c2..83b455555 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/include/function.h
+++ b/tools/qfcc/include/function.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
 
 #include "def.h"
 
+#define MAX_DEF_SIZE ((int)PR_SIZEOF(lvec4))
+
 /** Represent an overloading of a function.
 
 	Every function, whether overloaded or not, has an entry in the overloaded
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ typedef struct function_s {
 	const struct type_s *type;		///< function's type without aliases
 	int                 temp_reg;	///< base register to use for temp defs
 	int                 temp_num;	///< number for next temp var
-	struct def_s       *temp_defs[4];	///< freed temp vars (by size)
+	struct def_s       *temp_defs[MAX_DEF_SIZE];///< freed temp vars (by size)
 	struct def_s       *def;		///< output def holding function number
 	struct symbol_s    *sym;		///< internal symbol for this function
 	/** \name Local data space
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/def.c b/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
index cf2a70c10..849723a44 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ temp_def (type_t *type)
 	int         size = type_size (type);
 	int         alignment = type->alignment;
 
-	if (size < 1 || size > 4) {
+	if (size < 1 || size > MAX_DEF_SIZE) {
 		internal_error (0, "%d invalid size for temp def", size);
 	}
 	if (alignment < 1) {
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/function.c b/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
index c85b68edf..42f757b9e 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/function.c
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ static hashtab_t *function_map;
 // standardized base register to use for all locals (arguments, local defs,
 // params)
 #define LOCALS_REG 1
+// keep the stack aligned to 8 words (32 bytes) so lvec etc can be used without
+// having to do shenanigans with mixed-alignment stack frames
+#define STACK_ALIGN 8
 
 static const char *
 ol_func_get_key (const void *_f, void *unused)
@@ -785,26 +788,27 @@ build_code_function (symbol_t *fsym, expr_t *state_expr, expr_t *statements)
 
 		if (func->arguments) {
 			func->arguments->size = func->arguments->max_size;
-			merge_spaces (space, func->arguments, 4);
+			merge_spaces (space, func->arguments, STACK_ALIGN);
 			func->arguments = 0;
 		}
 
-		merge_spaces (space, func->locals->space, 4);
+		merge_spaces (space, func->locals->space, STACK_ALIGN);
 		func->locals->space = space;
 
 		// allocate 0 words to force alignment and get the address
-		func->params_start = defspace_alloc_aligned_highwater (space, 0, 4);
+		func->params_start = defspace_alloc_aligned_highwater (space, 0,
+															   STACK_ALIGN);
 
 		dstatement_t *st = &pr.code->code[func->code];
 		if (st->op == OP_ADJSTK) {
 			st->b = -func->params_start;
 		}
-		merge_spaces (space, func->parameters->space, 4);
+		merge_spaces (space, func->parameters->space, STACK_ALIGN);
 		func->parameters->space = space;
 
 		// force the alignment again so the full stack slot is counted when
-		// the final parameter is smaller than 4 words
-		defspace_alloc_aligned_highwater (space, 0, 4);
+		// the final parameter is smaller than STACK_ALIGN words
+		defspace_alloc_aligned_highwater (space, 0, STACK_ALIGN);
 	}
 	return fsym->s.func;
 }