diff --git a/drivers/scsi/mpt3sas/mpt3sas_ctl.c b/drivers/scsi/mpt3sas/mpt3sas_ctl.c
index 07345016fd9c..8cfb4f12c68c 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/mpt3sas/mpt3sas_ctl.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/mpt3sas/mpt3sas_ctl.c
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ _ctl_do_mpt_command(struct MPT3SAS_ADAPTER *ioc, struct mpt3_ioctl_command karg,
 	struct _pcie_device *pcie_device = NULL;
 	u32 ioc_state;
 	u16 smid;
-	u8 timeout;
+	unsigned long timeout;
 	u8 issue_reset;
 	u32 sz, sz_arg;
 	void *psge;