diff --git a/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp b/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp
index 6c7d581..4093885 100644
--- a/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_aligned_storage.hpp
@@ -25,12 +25,8 @@ template <class T>
 class aligned_storage
 {
     // Borland ICEs if unnamed unions are used for this!
-    union
-    // This works around GCC warnings about breaking strict aliasing rules when casting storage address to T*
-#if defined(BOOST_OPTIONAL_DETAIL_USE_ATTRIBUTE_MAY_ALIAS)
-    __attribute__((__may_alias__))
-#endif
-    dummy_u
+    // BOOST_MAY_ALIAS works around GCC warnings about breaking strict aliasing rules when casting storage address to T*
+    union BOOST_MAY_ALIAS dummy_u
     {
         char data[ sizeof(T) ];
         BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME type_with_alignment<
diff --git a/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_config.hpp b/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_config.hpp
index e26d73c..deabd21 100644
--- a/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_config.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/optional/detail/optional_config.hpp
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@
 # define BOOST_OPTIONAL_WEAK_OVERLOAD_RESOLUTION
 #endif
 
-#if defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(__INTEL_COMPILER)
-// GCC since 3.3 has may_alias attribute that helps to alleviate optimizer issues with
-// regard to violation of the strict aliasing rules. The optional< T > storage type is marked
-// with this attribute in order to let the compiler know that it will alias objects of type T
-// and silence compilation warnings.
+#if !defined(BOOST_NO_MAY_ALIAS)
+// GCC since 3.3 and some other compilers have may_alias attribute that helps to alleviate
+// optimizer issues with regard to violation of the strict aliasing rules. The optional< T >
+// storage type is marked with this attribute in order to let the compiler know that it will
+// alias objects of type T and silence compilation warnings.
 # define BOOST_OPTIONAL_DETAIL_USE_ATTRIBUTE_MAY_ALIAS
 #endif