diff --git a/gtsam/geometry/Pose2.h b/gtsam/geometry/Pose2.h
index 1ba384857..f03e0852e 100644
--- a/gtsam/geometry/Pose2.h
+++ b/gtsam/geometry/Pose2.h
@@ -278,6 +278,12 @@ private:
     ar & BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(t_);
     ar & BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(r_);
   }
+
+#ifdef GTSAM_TYPEDEF_POINTS_TO_VECTORS
+public:
+  // Make sure Pose2 is aligned if it contains a Vector2
+  EIGEN_MAKE_ALIGNED_OPERATOR_NEW
+#endif
 }; // Pose2
 
 /** specialization for pose2 wedge function (generic template in Lie.h) */
diff --git a/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h b/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h
index 263301122..985c521a2 100644
--- a/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h
+++ b/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h
@@ -508,9 +508,11 @@ namespace gtsam {
 #endif
     }
 
-   public:
+#ifdef GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS
+  // only align if quaternion, Matrix3 has no alignment requirements
+  public:
     EIGEN_MAKE_ALIGNED_OPERATOR_NEW
-
+#endif
   };
 
   /**