diff --git a/kernel/rcuclassic.c b/kernel/rcuclassic.c
index 3f6918966bd..743cf0550ff 100644
--- a/kernel/rcuclassic.c
+++ b/kernel/rcuclassic.c
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ void rcu_check_callbacks(int cpu, int user)
 static void rcu_init_percpu_data(int cpu, struct rcu_ctrlblk *rcp,
 						struct rcu_data *rdp)
 {
-	long flags;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&rcp->lock, flags);
 	memset(rdp, 0, sizeof(*rdp));