diff --git a/drivers/iio/light/vcnl4000.c b/drivers/iio/light/vcnl4000.c
index 384ac23f576f..d948c4778ba6 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/light/vcnl4000.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/light/vcnl4000.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static int vcnl4000_measure(struct vcnl4000_data *data, u8 req_mask,
 				u8 rdy_mask, u8 data_reg, int *val)
 {
 	int tries = 20;
-	u16 buf;
+	__be16 buf;
 	int ret;
 
 	ret = i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(data->client, VCNL4000_COMMAND,