diff --git a/include/sect.h b/include/sect.h
index 56092de6..63fef0a4 100644
--- a/include/sect.h
+++ b/include/sect.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ struct sctstr {
     short sct_item[I_MAX+1];	/* amount of items stored here */
     short sct_del[I_MAX+1];	/* delivieries */
     short sct_dist[I_MAX+1];	/* distribution thresholds */
-    u_short sct_mines;		/* number of mines */
+    short sct_mines;		/* number of mines */
     u_short sct_pstage;		/* plague stage */
     u_short sct_ptime;		/* how many etus remain in this stage */
     u_char sct_che;		/* number of guerrillas */
diff --git a/src/lib/global/nsc.c b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
index 1301c8c8..f81ce19d 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/nsc.c
+++ b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ struct castr sect_ca[] = {
     NSC_IVEC(fldoff(sctstr, sct_item), ""),
     NSC_IVEC(fldoff(sctstr, sct_dist), "_dist"),
     NSC_IVEC(fldoff(sctstr, sct_del), "_del"),
-    {NSC_USHORT, NSC_DEITY, 0, fldoff(sctstr, sct_mines), "mines"},
+    {NSC_SHORT, NSC_DEITY, 0, fldoff(sctstr, sct_mines), "mines"},
     {NSC_USHORT, NSC_DEITY, 0, fldoff(sctstr, sct_pstage), "pstage"},
     {NSC_USHORT, NSC_DEITY, 0, fldoff(sctstr, sct_ptime), "ptime"},
     {NSC_USHORT, NSC_DEITY, 0, fldoff(sctstr, sct_che), "che"},