diff --git a/src/lib/common/nsc.c b/src/lib/common/nsc.c
index bc50dcb1..c3c64356 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/nsc.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/nsc.c
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ struct castr lost_ca[] = {
     {"timestamp", fldoff(lost_timestamp), NSC_TIME, 0, NULL,
      EF_BAD, 0},
     {"owner", fldoff(lost_owner), NSC_NATID, 0, NULL, EF_NATION, 0},
-    {"type", fldoff(lost_type), NSC_CHAR, 0, NULL, EF_TABLE, 0},
+    {"type", fldoff(lost_type), NSC_SHORT, 0, NULL, EF_TABLE, 0},
     /* id's ca_table given by type, but can't express that: */
     {"id", fldoff(lost_id), NSC_INT, 0, NULL, EF_BAD, 0},
     {"x", fldoff(lost_x), NSC_XCOORD, 0, NULL, EF_BAD, 0},
diff --git a/tests/smoke/smoke.out b/tests/smoke/smoke.out
index 6cc169fa..d6a24673 100644
--- a/tests/smoke/smoke.out
+++ b/tests/smoke/smoke.out
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ Player 00 Turn 00 starting
 [0:640] Command : XDUMP meta lost 0
 "timestamp" 12 0 0 -1
 "owner" 5 0 0 9
-"type" 4 0 0 27
+"type" 6 0 0 27
 "id" 8 0 0 -1
 "x" 9 0 0 -1
 "y" 10 0 0 -1
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ CENSUS                   del dst
 [0:636] Command : XDUMP meta lost 0
 "timestamp" 12 0 0 -1
 "owner" 5 0 0 9
-"type" 4 0 0 27
+"type" 6 0 0 27
 "id" 8 0 0 -1
 "x" 9 0 0 -1
 "y" 10 0 0 -1