diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c
index a2ca9ef..b8cdff7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c
@@ -3483,15 +3483,19 @@
  *  Communicates with the manageability block.  On success return 0
  *  else return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND.
  **/
-s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
+s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, void *buffer,
 				 u32 length, u32 timeout,
 				 bool return_data)
 {
-	u32 hicr, i, bi, fwsts;
 	u32 hdr_size = sizeof(struct ixgbe_hic_hdr);
+	u32 hicr, i, bi, fwsts;
 	u16 buf_len, dword_len;
+	union {
+		struct ixgbe_hic_hdr hdr;
+		u32 u32arr[1];
+	} *bp = buffer;
 
-	if (length == 0 || length > IXGBE_HI_MAX_BLOCK_BYTE_LENGTH) {
+	if (!length || length > IXGBE_HI_MAX_BLOCK_BYTE_LENGTH) {
 		hw_dbg(hw, "Buffer length failure buffersize-%d.\n", length);
 		return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
 	}
@@ -3502,26 +3506,25 @@
 
 	/* Check that the host interface is enabled. */
 	hicr = IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_HICR);
-	if ((hicr & IXGBE_HICR_EN) == 0) {
+	if (!(hicr & IXGBE_HICR_EN)) {
 		hw_dbg(hw, "IXGBE_HOST_EN bit disabled.\n");
 		return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
 	}
 
 	/* Calculate length in DWORDs. We must be DWORD aligned */
-	if ((length % (sizeof(u32))) != 0) {
+	if (length % sizeof(u32)) {
 		hw_dbg(hw, "Buffer length failure, not aligned to dword");
 		return IXGBE_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
 	}
 
 	dword_len = length >> 2;
 
-	/*
-	 * The device driver writes the relevant command block
+	/* The device driver writes the relevant command block
 	 * into the ram area.
 	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < dword_len; i++)
 		IXGBE_WRITE_REG_ARRAY(hw, IXGBE_FLEX_MNG,
-				      i, cpu_to_le32(buffer[i]));
+				      i, cpu_to_le32(bp->u32arr[i]));
 
 	/* Setting this bit tells the ARC that a new command is pending. */
 	IXGBE_WRITE_REG(hw, IXGBE_HICR, hicr | IXGBE_HICR_C);
@@ -3534,8 +3537,8 @@
 	}
 
 	/* Check command successful completion. */
-	if ((timeout != 0 && i == timeout) ||
-	    (!(IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_HICR) & IXGBE_HICR_SV))) {
+	if ((timeout && i == timeout) ||
+	    !(IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_HICR) & IXGBE_HICR_SV)) {
 		hw_dbg(hw, "Command has failed with no status valid.\n");
 		return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
 	}
@@ -3548,13 +3551,13 @@
 
 	/* first pull in the header so we know the buffer length */
 	for (bi = 0; bi < dword_len; bi++) {
-		buffer[bi] = IXGBE_READ_REG_ARRAY(hw, IXGBE_FLEX_MNG, bi);
-		le32_to_cpus(&buffer[bi]);
+		bp->u32arr[bi] = IXGBE_READ_REG_ARRAY(hw, IXGBE_FLEX_MNG, bi);
+		le32_to_cpus(&bp->u32arr[bi]);
 	}
 
 	/* If there is any thing in data position pull it in */
-	buf_len = ((struct ixgbe_hic_hdr *)buffer)->buf_len;
-	if (buf_len == 0)
+	buf_len = bp->hdr.buf_len;
+	if (!buf_len)
 		return 0;
 
 	if (length < round_up(buf_len, 4) + hdr_size) {
@@ -3565,10 +3568,10 @@
 	/* Calculate length in DWORDs, add 3 for odd lengths */
 	dword_len = (buf_len + 3) >> 2;
 
-	/* Pull in the rest of the buffer (bi is where we left off)*/
+	/* Pull in the rest of the buffer (bi is where we left off) */
 	for (; bi <= dword_len; bi++) {
-		buffer[bi] = IXGBE_READ_REG_ARRAY(hw, IXGBE_FLEX_MNG, bi);
-		le32_to_cpus(&buffer[bi]);
+		bp->u32arr[bi] = IXGBE_READ_REG_ARRAY(hw, IXGBE_FLEX_MNG, bi);
+		le32_to_cpus(&bp->u32arr[bi]);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -3612,7 +3615,7 @@
 	fw_cmd.pad2 = 0;
 
 	for (i = 0; i <= FW_CEM_MAX_RETRIES; i++) {
-		ret_val = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&fw_cmd,
+		ret_val = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, &fw_cmd,
 						       sizeof(fw_cmd),
 						       IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT,
 						       true);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.h
index 2e29015..6f8e6a5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.h
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@
 s32 ixgbe_get_device_caps_generic(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 *device_caps);
 s32 ixgbe_set_fw_drv_ver_generic(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u8 maj, u8 min,
 				 u8 build, u8 ver);
-s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
-				 u32 length, u32 timeout, bool return_data);
+s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, void *, u32 length,
+				 u32 timeout, bool return_data);
 void ixgbe_clear_tx_pending(struct ixgbe_hw *hw);
 bool ixgbe_mng_present(struct ixgbe_hw *hw);
 bool ixgbe_mng_enabled(struct ixgbe_hw *hw);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c
index 5affac1..65832fa 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c
@@ -437,8 +437,7 @@
 	/* one word */
 	buffer.length = cpu_to_be16(sizeof(u16));
 
-	status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&buffer,
-					      sizeof(buffer),
+	status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, &buffer, sizeof(buffer),
 					      IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, false);
 	if (status)
 		return status;
@@ -488,7 +487,7 @@
 		buffer.address = cpu_to_be32((offset + current_word) * 2);
 		buffer.length = cpu_to_be16(words_to_read * 2);
 
-		status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&buffer,
+		status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, &buffer,
 						      sizeof(buffer),
 						      IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT,
 						      false);
@@ -771,8 +770,7 @@
 	buffer.data = data;
 	buffer.address = cpu_to_be32(offset * 2);
 
-	status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&buffer,
-					      sizeof(buffer),
+	status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, &buffer, sizeof(buffer),
 					      IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, false);
 	return status;
 }
@@ -814,8 +812,7 @@
 	buffer.req.buf_lenl = FW_SHADOW_RAM_DUMP_LEN;
 	buffer.req.checksum = FW_DEFAULT_CHECKSUM;
 
-	status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&buffer,
-					      sizeof(buffer),
+	status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, &buffer, sizeof(buffer),
 					      IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, false);
 	return status;
 }
@@ -864,7 +861,7 @@
 		fw_cmd.hdr.checksum = FW_DEFAULT_CHECKSUM;
 		fw_cmd.port_number = hw->bus.lan_id;
 
-		status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&fw_cmd,
+		status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, &fw_cmd,
 					sizeof(struct ixgbe_hic_disable_rxen),
 					IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, true);