diff --git a/drivers/char/hvc_console.h b/drivers/char/hvc_console.h
index 8297dbc2e6ec..3c85d78c975c 100644
--- a/drivers/char/hvc_console.h
+++ b/drivers/char/hvc_console.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ struct hvc_struct {
 	spinlock_t lock;
 	int index;
 	struct tty_struct *tty;
-	unsigned int count;
+	int count;
 	int do_wakeup;
 	char *outbuf;
 	int outbuf_size;
diff --git a/drivers/char/hvcs.c b/drivers/char/hvcs.c
index 473d9b14439a..6e6eb445d374 100644
--- a/drivers/char/hvcs.c
+++ b/drivers/char/hvcs.c
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ struct hvcs_struct {
 	unsigned int index;
 
 	struct tty_struct *tty;
-	unsigned int open_count;
+	int open_count;
 
 	/*
 	 * Used to tell the driver kernel_thread what operations need to take
diff --git a/drivers/char/hvsi.c b/drivers/char/hvsi.c
index 59c6f9ab94e4..af055287271a 100644
--- a/drivers/char/hvsi.c
+++ b/drivers/char/hvsi.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ struct hvsi_struct {
 	spinlock_t lock;
 	int index;
 	struct tty_struct *tty;
-	unsigned int count;
+	int count;
 	uint8_t throttle_buf[128];
 	uint8_t outbuf[N_OUTBUF]; /* to implement write_room and chars_in_buffer */
 	/* inbuf is for packet reassembly. leave a little room for leftovers. */