diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_sprintf.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_sprintf.c
index 8d60aa81e27e..2a3ab9c168f0 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_sprintf.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_sprintf.c
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ int guest_vsnprintf(char *buf, int n, const char *fmt, va_list args)
 		else if (qualifier == 'h') {
 			num = (u16)va_arg(args, int);
 			if (flags & SIGN)
-				num = (int16_t)num;
+				num = (s16)num;
 		} else if (flags & SIGN)
 			num = va_arg(args, int);
 		else