diff --git a/vm/memblock.c b/vm/memblock.c
index 32b4223..c4fb007 100644
--- a/vm/memblock.c
+++ b/vm/memblock.c
@@ -235,21 +235,27 @@ static phys_addr_t do_alloc(size_t size, phys_addr_t align)
 		align = 0x8;
 	}
 
+	/* the base address of the memory region to reserved */
 	phys_addr_t allocated_base = ADDR_MAX;
+	/* the address to return to the caller. may be different from
+	   allocated_base depending on alignment requirements. */
+	phys_addr_t returned_base = ADDR_MAX;
 
 	phys_addr_t region_start = memblock.m_alloc_start - memblock.m_voffset;
 	phys_addr_t region_end = memblock.m_alloc_end - memblock.m_voffset;
 
 	memblock_iter_t it;
 	for_each_free_mem_range (&it, region_start, region_end) {
-		if (it.it_base & (align - 1)) {
-			it.it_base &= ~(align - 1);
-			it.it_base += align;
+		phys_addr_t base = it.it_base;
+		if (base & (align - 1)) {
+			base &= ~(align - 1);
+			base += align;
 		}
 
-		size_t region_size = it.it_limit - it.it_base + 1;
+		size_t region_size = it.it_limit - base + 1;
 		if (region_size >= size) {
 			allocated_base = it.it_base;
+			returned_base = base;
 			break;
 		}
 	}
@@ -263,7 +269,7 @@ static phys_addr_t do_alloc(size_t size, phys_addr_t align)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	return allocated_base;
+	return returned_base;
 }
 
 void *memblock_alloc(size_t size, phys_addr_t align)