diff --git a/include/fmq/MessageQueue.h b/include/fmq/MessageQueue.h
index 848b77f..7be7151 100644
--- a/include/fmq/MessageQueue.h
+++ b/include/fmq/MessageQueue.h
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
      *
      * @return Whether the write was successful.
      */
-    bool write(const T* data);
+    __attribute__((always_inline)) bool write(const T* data);
 
     /**
      * Non-blocking read from FMQ.
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
      *
      * @return Whether the write was successful.
      */
-    bool write(const T* data, size_t count);
+    __attribute__((always_inline)) bool write(const T* data, size_t count);
 
     /**
      * Perform a blocking write of 'count' items into the FMQ using EventFlags.
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@
      *
      * @return Whether the read was successful.
      */
-    bool read(T* data, size_t count);
+    __attribute__((noinline)) bool read(T* data, size_t count);
 
     /**
      * Perform a blocking read operation of 'count' items from the FMQ. Does not
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@
      * @return Whether it is possible to write 'nMessages' items of type T
      * into the FMQ.
      */
-    bool beginWrite(size_t nMessages, MemTransaction* memTx) const;
+    __attribute__((always_inline)) bool beginWrite(size_t nMessages, MemTransaction* memTx) const;
 
     /**
      * Commit a write of size 'nMessages'. To be only used after a call to beginWrite().
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@
      * @return bool Whether it is possible to read 'nMessages' items of type T
      * from the FMQ.
      */
-    bool beginRead(size_t nMessages, MemTransaction* memTx) const;
+    __attribute__((always_inline)) bool beginRead(size_t nMessages, MemTransaction* memTx) const;
 
     /**
      * Commit a read of size 'nMessages'. To be only used after a call to beginRead().
@@ -996,6 +996,12 @@
     }
 
     auto writePtr = mWritePtr->load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    if (writePtr % sizeof(T) != 0) {
+        hardware::details::logError(
+                "The write pointer has become misaligned. Writing to the queue is no longer "
+                "possible.");
+        return false;
+    }
     size_t writeOffset = writePtr % mDesc->getSize();
 
     /*
@@ -1083,6 +1089,12 @@
      * stores to mReadPtr from a different thread.
      */
     auto readPtr = mReadPtr->load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    if (writePtr % sizeof(T) != 0 || readPtr % sizeof(T) != 0) {
+        hardware::details::logError(
+                "The write or read pointer has become misaligned. Reading from the queue is no "
+                "longer possible.");
+        return false;
+    }
 
     if (writePtr - readPtr > mDesc->getSize()) {
         mReadPtr->store(writePtr, std::memory_order_release);
diff --git a/tests/msgq_test_client.cpp b/tests/msgq_test_client.cpp
index ce7e340..271586a 100644
--- a/tests/msgq_test_client.cpp
+++ b/tests/msgq_test_client.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     }
 
     virtual void SetUp() {
-        static constexpr size_t kNumElementsInQueue = 1024;
+        static constexpr size_t kNumElementsInQueue = (PAGE_SIZE - 16) / sizeof(uint16_t);
         mService = waitGetTestService();
         ASSERT_NE(mService, nullptr);
         ASSERT_TRUE(mService->isRemote());
@@ -424,6 +424,41 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * Request mService to write a message to the queue followed by a beginRead().
+ * Get a pointer to the memory region for the that first message. Set the write
+ * counter to the last byte in the ring buffer. Request another write from
+ * mService. The write should fail because the write address is misaligned.
+ */
+TEST_F(SynchronizedReadWriteClient, MisalignedWriteCounter) {
+    const size_t dataLen = 1;
+    bool ret = mService->requestWriteFmqSync(dataLen);
+    ASSERT_TRUE(ret);
+    // begin read and get a MemTransaction object for the first object in the queue
+    MessageQueueSync::MemTransaction tx;
+    ASSERT_TRUE(mQueue->beginRead(dataLen, &tx));
+    // get a pointer to the beginning of the ring buffer
+    const auto& region = tx.getFirstRegion();
+    uint16_t* firstStart = region.getAddress();
+
+    // because this is the first location in the ring buffer, we can get
+    // access to the read and write pointer stored in the fd. 8 bytes back for the
+    // write counter and 16 bytes back for the read counter
+    uint64_t* writeCntr = (uint64_t*)((uint8_t*)firstStart - 8);
+
+    // set it to point to the very last byte in the ring buffer
+    *(writeCntr) = mQueue->getQuantumCount() * mQueue->getQuantumSize() - 1;
+    ASSERT_TRUE(*writeCntr % sizeof(uint16_t) != 0);
+
+    // this is not actually necessary, but it's the expected the pattern.
+    mQueue->commitRead(dataLen);
+
+    // This next write will be misaligned and will overlap outside of the ring buffer.
+    // The write should fail.
+    ret = mService->requestWriteFmqSync(dataLen);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(ret);
+}
+
+/*
  * Request mService to write a small number of messages
  * to the FMQ. Read and verify each message using
  * beginRead/Commit read APIs.