diff --git a/lib/editline/editline.c b/lib/editline/editline.c
index 563f5afda..3b4d4207e 100644
--- a/lib/editline/editline.c
+++ b/lib/editline/editline.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ TTYstring(unsigned char *p)
 static int
 TTYget()
 {
-    char c;
+    unsigned char c;
     int e;
 
     TTYflush();