diff --git a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_bt_sm.c b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_bt_sm.c
index f5e4cd7617f6..61e71616689b 100644
--- a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_bt_sm.c
+++ b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_bt_sm.c
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ static inline void write_all_bytes(struct si_sm_data *bt)
 
 static inline int read_all_bytes(struct si_sm_data *bt)
 {
-	unsigned char i;
+	unsigned int i;
 
 	/*
 	 * length is "framing info", minimum = 4: NetFn, Seq, Cmd, cCode.