diff --git a/src/xzdec/xzdec.c b/src/xzdec/xzdec.c
index 5cb7530a..c1bd1998 100644
--- a/src/xzdec/xzdec.c
+++ b/src/xzdec/xzdec.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 /// Error messages are suppressed if this is zero, which is the case when
 /// --quiet has been given at least twice.
-static unsigned int display_errors = 2;
+static int display_errors = 2;
 
 
 static void lzma_attribute((__format__(__printf__, 1, 2)))