diff --git a/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/MessageFactory.cpp b/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/MessageFactory.cpp
index 6f35897..eff068e 100644
--- a/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/MessageFactory.cpp
+++ b/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/MessageFactory.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
 
 nlattr* MessageFactoryBase::add(nlmsghdr* msg, size_t maxLen, nlattrtype_t type, const void* data,
                                 size_t dataLen) {
-    const auto totalAttrLen = impl::space<nlattr>(dataLen);
-    const auto newLen = impl::align(msg->nlmsg_len) + totalAttrLen;
+    const auto totalAttrLen = impl::length<nlattr>(dataLen);
+    const auto newLen = impl::align(msg->nlmsg_len) + impl::align(totalAttrLen);
     if (newLen > maxLen) {
         LOG(ERROR) << "Can't add attribute of size " << dataLen  //
                    << " - exceeded maxLen: " << newLen << " > " << maxLen;
diff --git a/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/include/libnl++/bits.h b/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/include/libnl++/bits.h
index 4c8f1aa..b6573b3 100644
--- a/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/include/libnl++/bits.h
+++ b/automotive/can/1.0/default/libnl++/include/libnl++/bits.h
@@ -36,11 +36,19 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * Equivalent to NLMSG_LENGTH(len).
+ */
+template <typename H>
+constexpr size_t length(size_t len) {
+    return align(sizeof(H)) + len;
+}
+
+/**
  * Equivalent to NLMSG_SPACE(len).
  */
 template <typename H>
 constexpr size_t space(size_t len) {
-    return align(align(sizeof(H)) + len);
+    return align(length<H>(len));
 }
 
 /**