diff --git a/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c b/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c
index ccc5770d7654..d2ba849bb8d1 100644
--- a/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c
+++ b/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ static blk_status_t virtio_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 	struct request *req = bd->rq;
 	struct virtblk_req *vbr = blk_mq_rq_to_pdu(req);
 	unsigned long flags;
-	unsigned int num;
+	int num;
 	int qid = hctx->queue_num;
 	int err;
 	bool notify = false;