diff --git a/lib-src/make-docfile.c b/lib-src/make-docfile.c
index 6b2cc110403..ecd6447ab78 100644
--- a/lib-src/make-docfile.c
+++ b/lib-src/make-docfile.c
@@ -667,7 +667,9 @@ close_emacs_globals (ptrdiff_t num_symbols)
 	   "#ifndef DEFINE_SYMBOLS\n"
 	   "extern\n"
 	   "#endif\n"
-	   "struct Lisp_Symbol alignas (GCALIGNMENT) lispsym[%td];\n"),
+	   "struct {\n"
+	   "  struct Lisp_Symbol alignas (GCALIGNMENT) s;\n"
+	   "} lispsym[%td];\n"),
 	  num_symbols);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index 2d785d5b9a4..2cee6462564 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -6943,7 +6943,7 @@ sweep_symbols (void)
   symbol_free_list = NULL;
 
   for (int i = 0; i < ARRAYELTS (lispsym); i++)
-    lispsym[i].gcmarkbit = 0;
+    lispsym[i].s.gcmarkbit = 0;
 
   for (sblk = symbol_block; sblk; sblk = *sprev)
     {
diff --git a/src/lisp.h b/src/lisp.h
index 9464bf8559f..cffaf954b3b 100644
--- a/src/lisp.h
+++ b/src/lisp.h
@@ -838,13 +838,13 @@ make_lisp_symbol (struct Lisp_Symbol *sym)
 INLINE Lisp_Object
 builtin_lisp_symbol (int index)
 {
-  return make_lisp_symbol (lispsym + index);
+  return make_lisp_symbol (&lispsym[index].s);
 }
 
 INLINE void
 (CHECK_SYMBOL) (Lisp_Object x)
 {
- lisp_h_CHECK_SYMBOL (x);
+  lisp_h_CHECK_SYMBOL (x);
 }
 
 /* In the size word of a vector, this bit means the vector has been marked.  */