diff --git a/regex/regcomp.c b/regex/regcomp.c
index e7feb9301e6..7c450db07b7 100644
--- a/regex/regcomp.c
+++ b/regex/regcomp.c
@@ -1449,7 +1449,7 @@ sopno pos;
 		}
 	}
 	{
-          int length=(HERE()-pos-1)*sizeof(sop);
+          size_t length=(HERE()-pos-1)*sizeof(sop);
           bmove_upp((uchar *) &p->strip[pos+1]+length,
                     (uchar *) &p->strip[pos]+length,
                     length);