diff --git a/tests/compare_dump_files.c b/tests/compare_dump_files.c
index 6bc5145b..61048c97 100644
--- a/tests/compare_dump_files.c
+++ b/tests/compare_dump_files.c
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     if(chbase != chtest)
       {
-      size_t nbytes = 2048;
+      int nbytes = 2048;
       int CRLF_shift=1;
       char *strbase, *strtest, *strbase_d, *strtest_d;