diff --git a/src/client/sysdep_w32.c b/src/client/sysdep_w32.c
index 63df32e4..f6bcbb1e 100644
--- a/src/client/sysdep_w32.c
+++ b/src/client/sysdep_w32.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ sysdep_init(void)
 int
 w32_socket(int family, int sock_type, int protocol)
 {
-    unsigned int result;
+    SOCKET result;
     
     result = socket(family, sock_type, protocol);
     if (result == INVALID_SOCKET) {