diff --git a/kernel/printk/printk.c b/kernel/printk/printk.c
index 699c18c9d763..e53a976ca28e 100644
--- a/kernel/printk/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk/printk.c
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ void __init setup_log_buf(int early)
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
 	char *new_log_buf;
-	int free;
+	unsigned int free;
 
 	if (log_buf != __log_buf)
 		return;