diff --git a/drivers/tty/n_tty.c b/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
index 71aa898b077a..e917faa0b84c 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
@@ -2498,7 +2498,7 @@ static int n_tty_ioctl(struct tty_struct *tty, unsigned int cmd,
 		       unsigned long arg)
 {
 	struct n_tty_data *ldata = tty->disc_data;
-	int retval;
+	unsigned int num;
 
 	switch (cmd) {
 	case TIOCOUTQ:
@@ -2506,11 +2506,11 @@ static int n_tty_ioctl(struct tty_struct *tty, unsigned int cmd,
 	case TIOCINQ:
 		down_write(&tty->termios_rwsem);
 		if (L_ICANON(tty) && !L_EXTPROC(tty))
-			retval = inq_canon(ldata);
+			num = inq_canon(ldata);
 		else
-			retval = read_cnt(ldata);
+			num = read_cnt(ldata);
 		up_write(&tty->termios_rwsem);
-		return put_user(retval, (unsigned int __user *) arg);
+		return put_user(num, (unsigned int __user *) arg);
 	default:
 		return n_tty_ioctl_helper(tty, cmd, arg);
 	}