diff --git a/loxi_ir/ir.py b/loxi_ir/ir.py
index 3785a6f..df1c77d 100644
--- a/loxi_ir/ir.py
+++ b/loxi_ir/ir.py
@@ -175,6 +175,14 @@
         else:
             raise Exception("Not a fixed length class: {}".format(self.name))
 
+    @property
+    def has_internal_alignment(self):
+        return self.params.get('length_includes_align') == 'True'
+
+    @property
+    def has_external_alignment(self):
+        return self.params.get('length_includes_align') == 'False'
+
 """ one class unified across openflow versions. Keeps around a map version->versioned_class """
 class OFUnifiedClass(OFClass):
     def __new__(cls, version_classes, *a, **kw):