diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index 0d7bc8576..0df13f833 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -284,6 +284,15 @@ int uv_is_active(uv_handle_t* handle);
 void uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb);
 
 
+/*
+ * Construtor for uv_buf_t.
+ * Due to platform differences the user cannot rely on the ordering of the
+ * base and len members of the uv_buf_t struct. The user is responsible for
+ * freeing base after the uv_buf_t is done. Return struct passed by value.
+ */
+uv_buf_t uv_buf_init(char* base, size_t len);
+
+
 #define UV_STREAM_FIELDS \
   /* number of bytes queued for writing */ \
   size_t write_queue_size; \
diff --git a/src/uv-common.c b/src/uv-common.c
index ae859e850..2428fdd30 100644
--- a/src/uv-common.c
+++ b/src/uv-common.c
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ uv_counters_t* uv_counters() {
 }
 
 
+uv_buf_t uv_buf_init(char* base, size_t len) {
+  uv_buf_t buf;
+  buf.base = base;
+  buf.len = len;
+  return buf;
+}
+
+
 const char* uv_err_name(uv_err_t err) {
   switch (err.code) {
     case UV_UNKNOWN: return "UNKNOWN";
diff --git a/test/echo-server.c b/test/echo-server.c
index f75d38858..bf8ffa6a1 100644
--- a/test/echo-server.c
+++ b/test/echo-server.c
@@ -111,8 +111,7 @@ static void after_read(uv_stream_t* handle, ssize_t nread, uv_buf_t buf) {
 
   wr = (write_req_t*) malloc(sizeof *wr);
 
-  wr->buf.base = buf.base;
-  wr->buf.len = nread;
+  wr->buf = uv_buf_init(buf.base, nread);
   if (uv_write(&wr->req, handle, &wr->buf, 1, after_write)) {
     FATAL("uv_write failed");
   }
@@ -125,10 +124,7 @@ static void on_close(uv_handle_t* peer) {
 
 
 static uv_buf_t echo_alloc(uv_stream_t* handle, size_t suggested_size) {
-  uv_buf_t buf;
-  buf.base = (char*) malloc(suggested_size);
-  buf.len = suggested_size;
-  return buf;
+  return uv_buf_init(malloc(suggested_size), suggested_size);
 }