diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.cpp
index 0bad1ba6a9..57aa2bd74f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ static_assert(sizeof(last_in_addr) == sizeof(struct sockaddr_in), "last_in_addr
 SocketAPM::SocketAPM(bool _datagram) :
     SocketAPM(_datagram, 
               CALL_PREFIX(socket)(AF_INET, _datagram?SOCK_DGRAM:SOCK_STREAM, 0))
-{}
+{
+    static_assert(sizeof(SocketAPM::last_in_addr) >= sizeof(struct sockaddr_in), "last_in_addr must be at least sockaddr_in size");
+}
 
 SocketAPM::SocketAPM(bool _datagram, int _fd) :
     datagram(_datagram),
@@ -310,10 +312,10 @@ ssize_t SocketAPM::recv(void *buf, size_t size, uint32_t timeout_ms)
         errno = EWOULDBLOCK;
         return -1;
     }
-    socklen_t len = sizeof(last_in_addr);
+    socklen_t len = sizeof(struct sockaddr_in);
     int fin = get_read_fd();
     ssize_t ret;
-    ret = CALL_PREFIX(recvfrom)(fin, buf, size, MSG_DONTWAIT, (sockaddr *)&last_in_addr, &len);
+    ret = CALL_PREFIX(recvfrom)(fin, buf, size, MSG_DONTWAIT, (sockaddr *)&last_in_addr[0], &len);
     if (ret <= 0) {
         if (!datagram && connected && ret == 0) {
             // remote host has closed connection
@@ -330,9 +332,10 @@ ssize_t SocketAPM::recv(void *buf, size_t size, uint32_t timeout_ms)
         if (CALL_PREFIX(getsockname)(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&send_addr, &send_len) != 0) {
             return -1;
         }
-        if (last_in_addr.sin_port == send_addr.sin_port &&
-            last_in_addr.sin_family == send_addr.sin_family &&
-            last_in_addr.sin_addr.s_addr == send_addr.sin_addr.s_addr) {
+        const struct sockaddr_in &sin = *(struct sockaddr_in *)&last_in_addr[0];
+        if (sin.sin_port == send_addr.sin_port &&
+            sin.sin_family == send_addr.sin_family &&
+            sin.sin_addr.s_addr == send_addr.sin_addr.s_addr) {
             // discard packets from ourselves
             return -1;
         }
@@ -355,11 +358,13 @@ void SocketAPM::last_recv_address(const char *&ip_addr, uint16_t &port) const
  */
 const char *SocketAPM::last_recv_address(char *ip_addr_buf, uint8_t buflen, uint16_t &port) const
 {
-    const char *ret = CALL_PREFIX(inet_ntop)(AF_INET, (void*)&last_in_addr.sin_addr, ip_addr_buf, buflen);
+    const struct sockaddr_in &sin = *(struct sockaddr_in *)&last_in_addr[0];
+
+    const char *ret = inet_addr_to_str((void*)&sin.sin_addr, ip_addr_buf, buflen);
     if (ret == nullptr) {
         return nullptr;
     }
-    port = ntohs(last_in_addr.sin_port);
+    port = ntohs(sin.sin_port);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -444,8 +449,9 @@ SocketAPM *SocketAPM::accept(uint32_t timeout_ms)
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    socklen_t len = sizeof(last_in_addr);
-    int newfd = CALL_PREFIX(accept)(fd, (sockaddr *)&last_in_addr, &len);
+    struct sockaddr_in &sin = *(struct sockaddr_in *)&last_in_addr[0];
+    socklen_t len = sizeof(sin);
+    int newfd = CALL_PREFIX(accept)(fd, (sockaddr *)&sin, &len);
     if (newfd == -1) {
         return nullptr;
     }
@@ -497,4 +503,9 @@ SocketAPM *SocketAPM::duplicate(void)
     return ret;
 }
 
+const char *SocketAPM::inet_addr_to_str(const void *src, char *dst, uint16_t len)
+{
+    return CALL_PREFIX(inet_ntop)(AF_INET, src, dst, len);
+}
+
 #endif // AP_NETWORKING_BACKEND_ANY
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.h b/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.h
index 480281b5d7..82c0ee2604 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL/utility/Socket.h
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@
 
 #if AP_NETWORKING_SOCKETS_ENABLED
 
-#if HAL_OS_SOCKETS
-
-struct sockaddr_in;
-
 class SocketAPM {
 public:
     SocketAPM(bool _datagram);
@@ -79,15 +75,14 @@ public:
         return connected;
     }
 
+    // access to inet_ntop
+    static const char *inet_addr_to_str(const void *src, char *dst, uint16_t len);
+
 private:
     bool datagram;
-    struct {
-        uint16_t sin_family;
-        uint16_t sin_port;
-        struct {
-            uint32_t s_addr;
-        } sin_addr;
-    } last_in_addr;
+    // we avoid using struct sockaddr_in here to keep support for
+    // mixing native sockets and lwip sockets in SITL
+    uint32_t last_in_addr[4];
     bool is_multicast_address(struct sockaddr_in &addr) const;
 
     int fd = -1;
@@ -100,5 +95,4 @@ private:
     void make_sockaddr(const char *address, uint16_t port, struct sockaddr_in &sockaddr);
 };
 
-#endif // HAL_OS_SOCKETS
 #endif // AP_NETWORKING_SOCKETS_ENABLED