diff --git a/packages/foss/rstp/brmon.c b/packages/foss/rstp/brmon.c
index d29e7f5..db0d3bb 100644
--- a/packages/foss/rstp/brmon.c
+++ b/packages/foss/rstp/brmon.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ static int dump_msg(const struct sockaddr_nl *who, struct nlmsghdr *n,
           int newlink = (n->nlmsg_type == RTM_NEWLINK);
           int up = 0;
           if (newlink && tb[IFLA_OPERSTATE]) {
-            int state = *(int*)RTA_DATA(tb[IFLA_OPERSTATE]);
+            int state = *(uint8_t*)RTA_DATA(tb[IFLA_OPERSTATE]);
             up = (state == IF_OPER_UP) || (state == IF_OPER_UNKNOWN);
           }
 
diff --git a/packages/foss/rstp/brstate.c b/packages/foss/rstp/brstate.c
index 1fe792e..c31a647 100644
--- a/packages/foss/rstp/brstate.c
+++ b/packages/foss/rstp/brstate.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ static int br_set_state(struct rtnl_handle *rth, unsigned ifindex, __u8 state)
 	req.ifi.ifi_family = AF_BRIDGE;
 	req.ifi.ifi_index = ifindex;
 
-	addattr32(&req.n, sizeof(req.buf), IFLA_PROTINFO, state);
+	addattr8(&req.n, sizeof(req.buf), IFLA_PROTINFO, state);
 
 	return rtnl_talk(rth, &req.n, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/packages/foss/rstp/include/libnetlink.h b/packages/foss/rstp/include/libnetlink.h
index 63cc3c8..35d76f0 100644
--- a/packages/foss/rstp/include/libnetlink.h
+++ b/packages/foss/rstp/include/libnetlink.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ extern int rtnl_talk(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct nlmsghdr *n, pid_t peer,
 extern int rtnl_send(struct rtnl_handle *rth, const char *buf, int);
 
 
+extern int addattr8(struct nlmsghdr *n, int maxlen, int type, __u8 data);
 extern int addattr32(struct nlmsghdr *n, int maxlen, int type, __u32 data);
 extern int addattr_l(struct nlmsghdr *n, int maxlen, int type, const void *data, int alen);
 extern int addraw_l(struct nlmsghdr *n, int maxlen, const void *data, int len);
diff --git a/packages/foss/rstp/libnetlink.c b/packages/foss/rstp/libnetlink.c
index 7752236..aaae102 100644
--- a/packages/foss/rstp/libnetlink.c
+++ b/packages/foss/rstp/libnetlink.c
@@ -508,6 +508,24 @@ int addattr32(struct nlmsghdr *n, int maxlen, int type, __u32 data)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int addattr8(struct nlmsghdr *n, int maxlen, int type, __u8 data)
+{
+	int len = RTA_LENGTH(1);
+	struct rtattr *rta;
+	if (NLMSG_ALIGN(n->nlmsg_len) + len > maxlen) {
+		fprintf(stderr,
+			"addattr32: Error! max allowed bound %d exceeded\n",
+			maxlen);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	rta = NLMSG_TAIL(n);
+	rta->rta_type = type;
+	rta->rta_len = len;
+	memcpy(RTA_DATA(rta), &data, 1);
+	n->nlmsg_len = NLMSG_ALIGN(n->nlmsg_len) + len;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int addattr_l(struct nlmsghdr *n, int maxlen, int type, const void *data,
 	      int alen)
 {