diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/error_data.h b/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/error_data.h
index edf4376715e..847f52f190b 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/error_data.h
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/error_data.h
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ ERROR_CODE_DEFINITION(
     13, fb_parser_size_mismatch_ft_names_ft_values, "Size of feature names and feature values do not match. ")
 ERROR_CODE_DEFINITION(14, unknown_label_type, "Label type in Flatbuffer not understood. ")
 
+
 // TODO: This is temporary until we switch to the new error handling mechanism.
 ERROR_CODE_DEFINITION(10000, vw_exception, "vw_exception: ")
+ERROR_CODE_DEFINITION(20000, internal_error, "BUGBUG: ")
 
 #ifdef ERROR_CODE_DEFINITION_NOOP
 #undef ERROR_CODE_DEFINITION
diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/io_buf.h b/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/io_buf.h
index 2cb06c8b0fd..84834b4733f 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/io_buf.h
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/core/include/vw/core/io_buf.h
@@ -44,6 +44,56 @@
 namespace VW
 {
 
+struct desired_align
+{
+  using align_t = size_t;
+
+  align_t align;
+
+  // DO NOT USE THIS UNLESS YOU *REALLY* KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING
+  // Off-alignment reads are UB. Only use this if you know you need an offset
+  // from a true aligned address.
+  align_t offset;
+
+  template <typename T>
+  static constexpr desired_align align_for(align_t offset = 0)
+  {
+    return desired_align{compute_align<T>(), offset};
+  }
+
+  desired_align(align_t align = 1, align_t offset = 0) : align(align), offset(offset) {}
+  
+  struct flatbuffer_t { flatbuffer_t() = delete; };
+
+  // print to ostream
+  friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const desired_align& da)
+  {
+    os << "align: " << da.align << ", offset: " << da.offset;
+    return os;
+  }
+
+  inline bool is_aligned(const void* ptr) const
+  {
+    return (reinterpret_cast<size_t>(ptr) % align) == offset;
+  }
+
+private:
+  template <typename T>
+  static constexpr align_t compute_align()
+  {
+    // if T is a flatbuffer type, we need to align to 8 bytes,
+    // otherwise alignof(T)
+    return std::is_base_of<flatbuffer_t, T>::value ? 8 : alignof(T);
+  }
+};
+
+
+
+namespace known_alignments
+{
+  const desired_align TEXT = desired_align::align_for<char>();
+}
+
 class io_buf
 {
 public:
@@ -204,7 +254,7 @@ class io_buf
   }
 
   void buf_write(char*& pointer, size_t n);
-  size_t buf_read(char*& pointer, size_t n);
+  size_t buf_read(char*& pointer, size_t n, desired_align align = known_alignments::TEXT);
 
   size_t bin_read_fixed(char* data, size_t len)
   {
@@ -274,15 +324,29 @@ class io_buf
       memset(end, 0, sizeof(char) * (end_array - end));
     }
 
-    void shift_to_front(char* head_ptr)
+    void shift_to_front(char*& head_ptr, desired_align align = known_alignments::TEXT)
     {
+      size_t required_padding = 0;
+      if (align.align != 1)
+      {
+        // we are moving head => begin, but if begin is misaligned, we need to pad it
+        size_t begin_address = reinterpret_cast<size_t>(begin);
+        if (begin_address % align.align != align.offset)
+        {
+          required_padding = ((align.align << 1) - (begin_address % align.align) + align.offset) % align.align;
+
+          required_padding /= sizeof(char); // sizeof(char) = 1, but this is more explicit
+        }
+      }
+
       assert(end >= head_ptr);
       const size_t space_left = end - head_ptr;
       // Only call memmove if we are within the bounds of the loaded buffer.
       // Also, this ensures we don't memmove when head_ptr == end_array which
       // would be undefined behavior.
-      if (head_ptr >= begin && head_ptr < end) { std::memmove(begin, head_ptr, space_left); }
-      end = begin + space_left;
+      if (head_ptr >= (begin + required_padding) && head_ptr < end) { std::memmove(begin + required_padding, head_ptr, space_left); }
+      end = begin + required_padding + space_left;
+      head_ptr = begin + required_padding;
     }
 
     size_t capacity() const { return end_array - begin; }
diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/core/src/io_buf.cc b/vowpalwabbit/core/src/io_buf.cc
index 3a15693bab3..c4314c52044 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/core/src/io_buf.cc
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/core/src/io_buf.cc
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 // license as described in the file LICENSE.
 #include "vw/core/io_buf.h"
 
-size_t VW::io_buf::buf_read(char*& pointer, size_t n)
+size_t VW::io_buf::buf_read(char*& pointer, size_t n, desired_align align)
 {
   // return a pointer to the next n bytes.  n must be smaller than the maximum size.
   if (_head + n <= _buffer.end)
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ size_t VW::io_buf::buf_read(char*& pointer, size_t n)
     if (_head != _buffer.begin)  // There exists room to shift.
     {
       // Out of buffer so swap to beginning.
-      _buffer.shift_to_front(_head);
-      _head = _buffer.begin;
+      _buffer.shift_to_front(_head, align);
     }
     if (_current < _input_files.size() && fill(_input_files[_current].get()) > 0)
     {                               // read more bytes from _current file if present
diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/include/vw/fb_parser/parse_example_flatbuffer.h b/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/include/vw/fb_parser/parse_example_flatbuffer.h
index 8a419eb76e9..e8078f8d5d5 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/include/vw/fb_parser/parse_example_flatbuffer.h
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/include/vw/fb_parser/parse_example_flatbuffer.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class parser
       VW::experimental::api_status* status = nullptr);
 
 private:
+  size_t _num_example_roots = 0;
   const VW::parsers::flatbuffer::ExampleRoot* _data;
   uint8_t* _flatbuffer_pointer;
   flatbuffers::uoffset_t _object_size = 0;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ class parser
   uint32_t _labeled_action = 0;
   uint64_t _c_hash = 0;
 
-  bool parse(io_buf& buf, uint8_t* buffer_pointer = nullptr);
+  int parse(io_buf& buf, uint8_t* buffer_pointer = nullptr, VW::experimental::api_status* status = nullptr);
   int process_collection_item(
       VW::workspace* all, VW::multi_ex& examples, VW::experimental::api_status* status = nullptr);
   int parse_example(VW::workspace* all, example* ae, const Example* eg, VW::experimental::api_status* status = nullptr);
diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/src/parse_example_flatbuffer.cc b/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/src/parse_example_flatbuffer.cc
index 6a3aa3e2c27..4eafa302fa4 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/src/parse_example_flatbuffer.cc
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/fb_parser/src/parse_example_flatbuffer.cc
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <cfloat>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <sstream>
 
 namespace VW
 {
@@ -28,8 +29,13 @@ int flatbuffer_to_examples(VW::workspace* all, io_buf& buf, VW::multi_ex& exampl
   {
     // TODO: At what point do we report the error?
     VW::experimental::api_status status;
-    return static_cast<int>(all->parser_runtime.flat_converter->parse_examples(all, buf, examples, nullptr,
-                                &status) == VW::experimental::error_code::success);
+    if (all->parser_runtime.flat_converter->parse_examples(all, buf, examples, nullptr,
+                                &status) != VW::experimental::error_code::success)
+    {
+      std::cerr << "Error parsing examples: " << status.get_error_msg() << std::endl;
+    }
+
+    return static_cast<int>(status.get_error_code());
   }
   else
     return static_cast<int>(all->parser_runtime.flat_converter->parse_examples(all, buf, examples, nullptr, nullptr) ==
@@ -38,32 +44,59 @@ int flatbuffer_to_examples(VW::workspace* all, io_buf& buf, VW::multi_ex& exampl
 
 const VW::parsers::flatbuffer::ExampleRoot* parser::data() { return _data; }
 
-bool parser::parse(io_buf& buf, uint8_t* buffer_pointer)
+int parser::parse(io_buf& buf, uint8_t* buffer_pointer, VW::experimental::api_status* status)
 {
+#define RETURN_IF_ALIGN_ERROR(target_align, actual_ptr, example_root_count) \
+  if (!target_align.is_aligned(actual_ptr))             \
+  {                                                      \
+    size_t address = reinterpret_cast<size_t>(actual_ptr); \
+    RETURN_ERROR_LS(status, internal_error)              \
+    << "fb_parser error: flatbuffer data not aligned to " << target_align << '\n' \
+      << "   example_root[" << example_root_count << "] => @" << address << " % "  \
+                            << target_align.align << " - " << target_align.offset << " = " \
+                            << address % target_align.align - target_align.offset  << '\n' \
+      << "      ^^  -4 is the size of the flatbuffer prefix, which we read explicitly."; \
+  }
+
+  constexpr std::size_t EXPECTED_ALIGNMENT = 8; // this is where FB expects the size-prefixed FB to be aligned
+  constexpr std::size_t EXPECTED_OFFSET = sizeof(uint32_t); // 
+
+  desired_align align_prefixed = {EXPECTED_ALIGNMENT, 0};
+  desired_align align_data = {EXPECTED_ALIGNMENT, EXPECTED_OFFSET};
+
   if (buffer_pointer)
   {
+    RETURN_IF_ALIGN_ERROR(align_prefixed, buffer_pointer, _num_example_roots);
+
     _flatbuffer_pointer = buffer_pointer;
 
     _data = VW::parsers::flatbuffer::GetSizePrefixedExampleRoot(_flatbuffer_pointer);
-    return true;
+    _num_example_roots++;
+    return VW::experimental::error_code::success;
   }
 
   char* line = nullptr;
-  auto len = buf.buf_read(line, sizeof(uint32_t));
+  auto len = buf.buf_read(line, sizeof(uint32_t), align_prefixed);
 
-  if (len < sizeof(uint32_t)) { return false; }
+  if (len < sizeof(uint32_t)) { RETURN_ERROR(status, nothing_to_parse); }
 
   _object_size = flatbuffers::ReadScalar<flatbuffers::uoffset_t>(line);
 
   // read one object, object size defined by the read prefix
-  buf.buf_read(line, _object_size);
+  buf.buf_read(line, _object_size, align_data);
+
+  RETURN_IF_ALIGN_ERROR(align_data, line, _num_example_roots);
 
   _flatbuffer_pointer = reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(line);
   _data = VW::parsers::flatbuffer::GetExampleRoot(_flatbuffer_pointer);
-  return true;
+
+  _num_example_roots++;
+  return VW::experimental::error_code::success;
+
+#undef RETURN_IF_ALIGN_ERROR
 }
 
-int parser::process_collection_item(VW::workspace* all, VW::multi_ex& examples, VW::experimental::api_status* status)
+int parser::process_collection_item(VW::workspace* all, VW::multi_ex& examples, VW::experimental::api_status*)
 {
   // new example/multi example object to process from collection
   if (_data->example_obj_as_ExampleCollection()->is_multiline())
@@ -101,7 +134,7 @@ int parser::parse_examples(VW::workspace* all, io_buf& buf, VW::multi_ex& exampl
   else
   {
     // new object to be read from file
-    if (!parse(buf, buffer_pointer)) { RETURN_ERROR(status, nothing_to_parse); }
+    RETURN_IF_FAIL(parse(buf, buffer_pointer));
 
     switch (_data->example_obj_type())
     {
@@ -132,7 +165,7 @@ int parser::parse_examples(VW::workspace* all, io_buf& buf, VW::multi_ex& exampl
   return VW::experimental::error_code::success;
 }
 
-int parser::parse_example(VW::workspace* all, example* ae, const Example* eg, VW::experimental::api_status* status)
+int parser::parse_example(VW::workspace* all, example* ae, const Example* eg, VW::experimental::api_status*)
 {
   all->parser_runtime.example_parser->lbl_parser.default_label(ae->l);
   ae->is_newline = eg->is_newline();
@@ -150,7 +183,7 @@ int parser::parse_example(VW::workspace* all, example* ae, const Example* eg, VW
 }
 
 int parser::parse_multi_example(
-    VW::workspace* all, example* ae, const MultiExample* eg, VW::experimental::api_status* status)
+    VW::workspace* all, example* ae, const MultiExample* eg, VW::experimental::api_status*)
 {
   all->parser_runtime.example_parser->lbl_parser.default_label(ae->l);
   if (_multi_ex_index >= eg->examples()->size())