diff --git a/src/fs_read.hpp b/src/fs_read.hpp
index addcd98e..86c4a123 100644
--- a/src/fs_read.hpp
+++ b/src/fs_read.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace fs
        void         *buf_,
        const size_t  count_)
   {
-    int rv;
+    ssize_t rv;
 
     rv = ::read(fd_,buf_,count_);
 
diff --git a/src/fs_write.hpp b/src/fs_write.hpp
index 54acd1fe..0711d89f 100644
--- a/src/fs_write.hpp
+++ b/src/fs_write.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace fs
         const void   *buf_,
         const size_t  count_)
   {
-    int rv;
+    ssize_t rv;
 
     rv = ::write(fd_,buf_,count_);