diff --git a/environment.py b/environment.py
index c8f34d1cf..30213a7d4 100644
--- a/environment.py
+++ b/environment.py
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ class CCompiler():
         commands = self.get_exelist()
         commands.append(srcname)
         commands += self.get_output_flags(exename)
-        p = subprocess.Popen(commands, cwd=os.path.split(srcname)[0], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+        p = subprocess.Popen(commands, cwd=os.path.split(srcname)[0])#, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
         p.communicate()
         os.remove(srcname)
         if p.returncode != 0:
@@ -188,6 +188,68 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
             raise EnvironmentException('Could not run sizeof test binary.')
         return int(res.stdout)
 
+    def alignment(self, typename):
+        # A word of warning: this algoritm may be totally incorrect.
+        # However it worked for me on the cases I tried.
+        # There is probably a smarter and more robust way to get this
+        # information.
+        templ = '''#include<stdio.h>
+
+#define TESTTYPE %s
+
+#define SDEF(num) struct foo##num { char pad[num]; TESTTYPE x; };
+#define PR(num) printf("%%d\\n", (int)sizeof(struct foo##num))
+SDEF(1)
+SDEF(2)
+SDEF(3)
+SDEF(4)
+SDEF(5)
+SDEF(6)
+SDEF(7)
+SDEF(8)
+SDEF(9)
+SDEF(10)
+SDEF(12)
+SDEF(13)
+SDEF(14)
+SDEF(15)
+SDEF(16)
+SDEF(17)
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+  PR(1);
+  PR(2);
+  PR(3);
+  PR(4);
+  PR(5);
+  PR(6);
+  PR(7);
+  PR(8);
+  PR(9);
+  PR(10);
+  PR(12);
+  PR(13);
+  PR(14);
+  PR(15);
+  PR(16);
+  PR(17);
+  return 0;
+}
+'''
+        res = self.run(templ % typename)
+        if not res.compiled:
+            raise EnvironmentException('Could not compile alignment test.')
+        if res.returncode != 0:
+            raise EnvironmentException('Could not run alignment test binary.')
+        arr = [int(x) for x in res.stdout.split()]
+        for i in range(len(arr)-1):
+            nxt= arr[i+1]
+            cur = arr[i]
+            diff = nxt - cur
+            if diff > 0:
+                return diff
+        raise EnvironmentException('Could not determine alignment of %s. Sorry. You might want to file a bug.' % typename)
+
     def has_function(self, funcname, prefix):
         # This fails (returns true) if funcname is a ptr or a variable.
         # The correct check is a lot more difficult.
diff --git a/interpreter.py b/interpreter.py
index f3ac9eeb9..26c502139 100644
--- a/interpreter.py
+++ b/interpreter.py
@@ -652,8 +652,19 @@ class CompilerHolder(InterpreterObject):
                              'run' : self.run_method,
                              'has_function' : self.has_function_method,
                              'has_member' : self.has_member_method,
+                             'alignment' : self.alignment_method,
                              })
 
+    def alignment_method(self, args, kwargs):
+        if len(args) != 1:
+            raise InterpreterException('Alignment method takes exactly one positional argument.')
+        typename = args[0]
+        if not isinstance(typename, str):
+            raise InterpreterException('First argument is not a string.')
+        result = self.compiler.alignment(typename)
+        mlog.log('Checking for alignment of "', mlog.bold(typename), '": ', result, sep='')
+        return result
+
     def run_method(self, args, kwargs):
         if len(args) != 1:
             raise InterpreterException('Run method takes exactly one positional argument.')
diff --git a/test cases/common/45 alignment/meson.build b/test cases/common/45 alignment/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..703011a6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/45 alignment/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+project('alignment', 'c')
+
+cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
+
+# These tests should return the same value on all
+# platforms. If (and when) they don't, fix 'em up.
+if cc.alignment('char') != 1
+  error('Alignment of char misdetected.')
+endif
+
+if cc.alignment('double') != 8
+  error('Alignment of double misdetected.')
+endif