diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_cache.c b/sys/kern/vfs_cache.c
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_cache.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_cache.c
@@ -3676,15 +3676,8 @@
 	 * before we get to evaluate the condition. If this happens, we will
 	 * populate part of the buffer and descend to vn_fullpath_dir with
 	 * vp == vp_crossmp. Prevent the problem by checking for VBAD.
-	 *
-	 * This should be atomic_load(&vp->v_type) but it is illegal to take
-	 * an address of a bit field, even if said field is sized to char.
-	 * Work around the problem by reading the value into a full-sized enum
-	 * and then re-reading it with atomic_load which will still prevent
-	 * the compiler from re-reading down the road.
 	 */
-	type = vp->v_type;
-	type = atomic_load_int(&type);
+	type = atomic_load_char(&type);
 	if (type == VBAD) {
 		error = ENOENT;
 		goto out_bad;
diff --git a/sys/sys/cdefs.h b/sys/sys/cdefs.h
--- a/sys/sys/cdefs.h
+++ b/sys/sys/cdefs.h
@@ -932,4 +932,22 @@
 #define __align_down(x, y) __builtin_align_down(x, y)
 #define __is_aligned(x, y) __builtin_is_aligned(x, y)
 
+#ifdef _KERNEL
+/*
+ * TODO: figure out how to do checking at compilation time that consumers don't
+ * use mere 'enum'
+ */
+#if defined(__clang__) || (defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 13)
+#define enum_uint8_decl(name)	enum name : uint8_t
+#define enum_uint8(name)	enum name
+#else
+/*
+ * Note: there is no real size checking here, but the code below is uspposed to
+ * die off.
+ */
+#define enum_uint8_decl(name)	enum __attribute__((packed)) name
+#define enum_uint8(name)	enum __attribute__((packed)) name
+#endif
+#endif
+
 #endif /* !_SYS_CDEFS_H_ */
diff --git a/sys/sys/vnode.h b/sys/sys/vnode.h
--- a/sys/sys/vnode.h
+++ b/sys/sys/vnode.h
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@
 /*
  * Vnode types.  VNON means no type.
  */
-enum vtype	{ VNON, VREG, VDIR, VBLK, VCHR, VLNK, VSOCK, VFIFO, VBAD,
+enum_uint8_decl(vtype) { VNON, VREG, VDIR, VBLK, VCHR, VLNK, VSOCK, VFIFO, VBAD,
 		  VMARKER };
 #define VLASTTYPE VMARKER
 
-enum vstate	{ VSTATE_UNINITIALIZED, VSTATE_CONSTRUCTED, VSTATE_DESTROYING,
+enum_uint8_decl(vstate) { VSTATE_UNINITIALIZED, VSTATE_CONSTRUCTED, VSTATE_DESTROYING,
 		  VSTATE_DEAD };
 #define VLASTSTATE VSTATE_DEAD
 
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@
 	 * Fields which define the identity of the vnode.  These fields are
 	 * owned by the filesystem (XXX: and vgone() ?)
 	 */
-	enum	vtype v_type:8;			/* u vnode type */
-	enum	vstate v_state:8;		/* u vnode state */
+	enum_uint8(vtype) v_type;		/* u vnode type */
+	enum_uint8(vstate) v_state;		/* u vnode state */
 	short	v_irflag;			/* i frequently read flags */
 	seqc_t	v_seqc;				/* i modification count */
 	uint32_t v_nchash;			/* u namecache hash */