diff --git a/drivers/ide/ide-io.c b/drivers/ide/ide-io.c
index 9ee51adf567f..9ff90cb1dbf1 100644
--- a/drivers/ide/ide-io.c
+++ b/drivers/ide/ide-io.c
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ void ide_timer_expiry (unsigned long data)
 	ide_drive_t	*uninitialized_var(drive);
 	ide_handler_t	*handler;
 	unsigned long	flags;
-	unsigned long	wait = -1;
+	int		wait = -1;
 	int		plug_device = 0;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&hwif->lock, flags);