diff --git a/strbuf.c b/strbuf.c
index 6ff1f80129..db9069c937 100644
--- a/strbuf.c
+++ b/strbuf.c
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ int strbuf_readlink(struct strbuf *sb, const char *path, size_t hint)
 		hint = 32;
 
 	while (hint < STRBUF_MAXLINK) {
-		int len;
+		ssize_t len;
 
 		strbuf_grow(sb, hint);
 		len = readlink(path, sb->buf, hint);