diff --git a/Python/thread_pth.h b/Python/thread_pth.h
index 82a00e7..5704266 100644
--- a/Python/thread_pth.h
+++ b/Python/thread_pth.h
@@ -69,9 +69,8 @@
     volatile pth_t threadid;
     if (!initialized)
         PyThread_init_thread();
-    /* Jump through some hoops for Alpha OSF/1 */
     threadid = pth_self();
-    return (long) *(long *) &threadid;
+    return (long) threadid;
 }
 
 void PyThread_exit_thread(void)
diff --git a/Python/thread_pthread.h b/Python/thread_pthread.h
index ffc791c..7d36b92 100644
--- a/Python/thread_pthread.h
+++ b/Python/thread_pthread.h
@@ -228,8 +228,7 @@
    hosed" because:
      - It does not guarantee the promise that a non-zero integer is returned.
      - The cast to long is inherently unsafe.
-     - It is not clear that the 'volatile' (for AIX?) and ugly casting in the
-       latter return statement (for Alpha OSF/1) are any longer necessary.
+     - It is not clear that the 'volatile' (for AIX?) are any longer necessary.
 */
 long
 PyThread_get_thread_ident(void)
@@ -237,13 +236,8 @@
     volatile pthread_t threadid;
     if (!initialized)
         PyThread_init_thread();
-    /* Jump through some hoops for Alpha OSF/1 */
     threadid = pthread_self();
-#if SIZEOF_PTHREAD_T <= SIZEOF_LONG
     return (long) threadid;
-#else
-    return (long) *(long *) &threadid;
-#endif
 }
 
 void