diff --git a/kernel/debug.c b/kernel/debug.c
index 9261d720a..4c1865c72 100644
--- a/kernel/debug.c
+++ b/kernel/debug.c
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ PUBLIC int runqueues_ok(void)
 #endif
 
 PUBLIC char *
-rtsflagstr(const int flags)
+rtsflagstr(const u32_t flags)
 {
 	static char str[100];
 	str[0] = '\0';
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ rtsflagstr(const int flags)
 }
 
 PUBLIC char *
-miscflagstr(const int flags)
+miscflagstr(const u32_t flags)
 {
 	static char str[100];
 	str[0] = '\0';
diff --git a/kernel/proc.h b/kernel/proc.h
index 0a9c78bc4..d934674b8 100644
--- a/kernel/proc.h
+++ b/kernel/proc.h
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ struct proc {
   struct segframe p_seg;	/* segment descriptors */
   proc_nr_t p_nr;		/* number of this process (for fast access) */
   struct priv *p_priv;		/* system privileges structure */
-  short p_rts_flags;		/* process is runnable only if zero */
-  short p_misc_flags;		/* flags that do not suspend the process */
+  u32_t p_rts_flags;		/* process is runnable only if zero */
+  u32_t p_misc_flags;		/* flags that do not suspend the process */
 
   char p_priority;		/* current process priority */
   u64_t p_cpu_time_left;	/* time left to use the cpu */
diff --git a/kernel/proto.h b/kernel/proto.h
index 167e78912..ba99268a1 100644
--- a/kernel/proto.h
+++ b/kernel/proto.h
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ _PROTOTYPE( int runqueues_ok, (void) );
 #define runqueues_ok_local() runqueues_ok_cpu(cpuid)
 _PROTOTYPE( int runqueues_ok_cpu, (unsigned cpu));
 #endif
-_PROTOTYPE( char *rtsflagstr, (int flags) );
-_PROTOTYPE( char *miscflagstr, (int flags) );
+_PROTOTYPE( char *rtsflagstr, (u32_t flags) );
+_PROTOTYPE( char *miscflagstr, (u32_t flags) );
 _PROTOTYPE( char *schedulerstr, (struct proc *scheduler) );
 /* prints process information */
 _PROTOTYPE( void print_proc, (struct proc *pp));