diff --git a/net/vhost-vdpa.c b/net/vhost-vdpa.c
index f299e446b0d84cc9639dca3169b91421cc4c51bb..eee4b2a09e8f6dc3f7138c406213eba2d6354a1b 100644
--- a/net/vhost-vdpa.c
+++ b/net/vhost-vdpa.c
@@ -934,6 +934,7 @@ static int vhost_vdpa_net_handle_ctrl_avail(VhostShadowVirtqueue *svq,
 {
     VhostVDPAState *s = opaque;
     size_t in_len;
+    const struct virtio_net_ctrl_hdr *ctrl;
     virtio_net_ctrl_ack status = VIRTIO_NET_ERR;
     /* Out buffer sent to both the vdpa device and the device model */
     struct iovec out = {
@@ -949,7 +950,9 @@ static int vhost_vdpa_net_handle_ctrl_avail(VhostShadowVirtqueue *svq,
     out.iov_len = iov_to_buf(elem->out_sg, elem->out_num, 0,
                              s->cvq_cmd_out_buffer,
                              vhost_vdpa_net_cvq_cmd_len());
-    if (*(uint8_t *)s->cvq_cmd_out_buffer == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_ANNOUNCE) {
+
+    ctrl = s->cvq_cmd_out_buffer;
+    if (ctrl->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_ANNOUNCE) {
         /*
          * Guest announce capability is emulated by qemu, so don't forward to
          * the device.