--- src/tools/qstring.h
+++ src/tools/qstring.h
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@
     ushort unicode() const { return ucs; }
 #ifdef Q_NO_PACKED_REFERENCE
     ushort &unicode() { return *(&ucs); }
+#elif defined Q_NO_PACKED_POINTERS
+    ushort &unicode() { ushort& tmp = ucs; return tmp; }
 #else
     ushort &unicode() { return ucs; }
 #endif