diff --git a/usr.sbin/fifolog/lib/fifolog_int.c b/usr.sbin/fifolog/lib/fifolog_int.c
index f980f19fcdac..9d3b437b169d 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/fifolog/lib/fifolog_int.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/fifolog/lib/fifolog_int.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static const char *
 fifolog_int_open_i(struct fifolog_file *f, const char *fname, int mode)
 {
 	struct stat st;
-	unsigned u;
+	ssize_t u;
 	int i;
 
 	f->fd = open(fname, mode ? O_RDWR : O_RDONLY);