diff --git a/src/websocket_frame.hpp b/src/websocket_frame.hpp
index c4bc0d68b0..f41d7623b4 100644
--- a/src/websocket_frame.hpp
+++ b/src/websocket_frame.hpp
@@ -334,7 +334,11 @@ public:
         if (get_payload_size() == 0) {
             return close::status::NO_STATUS;
         } else if (get_payload_size() >= 2) {
-            uint16_t code = ntohs(reinterpret_cast<uint16_t>(m_payload[1]) | reinterpret_cast<uint16_t>(m_payload[0]) << 8);
+            char val[2] = { m_payload[0], m_payload[1] };
+            uint16_t code;
+
+            memcpy(&code, val, sizeof(code));
+            code = ntohs(code);
             
             return close::status::value(code);
         } else {