diff --git a/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c b/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
index e4211003cc..fc354254e4 100644
--- a/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
+++ b/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_send(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t buf_in) {
     mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
     mp_get_buffer_raise(buf_in, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_READ);
     int _errno;
-    mp_uint_t ret = wlan_socket_send(self, bufinfo.buf, bufinfo.len, &_errno);
+    mp_int_t ret = wlan_socket_send(self, bufinfo.buf, bufinfo.len, &_errno);
     if (ret < 0) {
         nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_arg1(&mp_type_OSError, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(_errno)));
     }
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_recv(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t len_in) {
     vstr_t vstr;
     vstr_init_len(&vstr, len);
     int _errno;
-    mp_uint_t ret = wlan_socket_recv(self, (byte*)vstr.buf, len, &_errno);
+    mp_int_t ret = wlan_socket_recv(self, (byte*)vstr.buf, len, &_errno);
     if (ret < 0) {
         if (_errno == EAGAIN && self->sock_base.has_timeout) {
             nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_msg(&mp_type_TimeoutError, "timed out"));