diff --git a/src/hb-atomic-private.hh b/src/hb-atomic-private.hh
index bad409bb6..2e73cd855 100644
--- a/src/hb-atomic-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-atomic-private.hh
@@ -205,10 +205,10 @@ typedef int hb_atomic_int_impl_t;
 #define HB_ATOMIC_INT_INIT(V)          {V}
 #endif
 #ifndef hb_atomic_int_impl_set_relaxed
-#define hb_atomic_int_impl_set_relaxed(AI, V)	((AI) = (V))
+#define hb_atomic_int_impl_set_relaxed(AI, V)	(*(AI) = (V))
 #endif
 #ifndef hb_atomic_int_impl_get_relaxed
-#define hb_atomic_int_impl_get_relaxed(AI)	(AI)
+#define hb_atomic_int_impl_get_relaxed(AI)	(*(AI))
 #endif