diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index e4d7266db5124b47be535b7bfa17a30c1813fcd6..fb87af6130be2ff798e54e959d45ce5c9786b419 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ ensure_basedir_spec (void)
         
         if (w && r)
         {
-            char c;
+            int c;
             
             while ((c = getc (r)) != EOF)
             {
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ ensure_basedir_spec (void)
 
             if (w && r)
             {
-                char c;
+                int c;
                 
                 while ((c = getc (r)) != EOF)
                     putc (c, w);