diff --git a/sys/include/net/eui48.h b/sys/include/net/eui48.h
index 56f2ee5db6613120ae328fae1ea80615840d7fd2..89ef9deb6e222905cec4122e29c462c1ee8284b3 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/eui48.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/eui48.h
@@ -32,9 +32,8 @@ extern "C" {
 /**
  * @brief   Data type to represent an EUI-48
  */
-typedef union {
+typedef struct {
     uint8_t uint8[6];            /**< split into 6 8-bit words. */
-    network_uint16_t uint16[3];  /**< split into 3 16-bit words. */
 } eui48_t;
 
 /**