diff --git a/descriptor.c b/descriptor.c
index a80c320..35234c1 100644
--- a/descriptor.c
+++ b/descriptor.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ string_to_end(struct epg *epg, struct descriptor *d, int sofar,
 static char *
 read_lstring(struct epg *epg, unsigned int *len)
 {
-	int l = epg->bin[epg->offset++];
+	unsigned int l = epg->bin[epg->offset++];
 	char *c;
 
 	/* Check that there is enough file left. */