diff --git a/include/boost/mpl/advance.hpp b/include/boost/mpl/advance.hpp
index a596724..24d2b68 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpl/advance.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpl/advance.hpp
@@ -46,10 +46,13 @@ namespace aux {
 template< typename Category, typename Iterator, typename N >
 struct advance_impl
 {
+    typedef typename less< N,integral_c<long,0> >::type backward_;
+    typedef typename if_< backward_, negate<N>, N >::type offset_;
+
     typedef typename if_<
-          typename less< N,integral_c<long,0> >::type
-        , aux::advance_backward< ::boost::mpl::negate<N>::value >
-        , aux::advance_forward< BOOST_MPL_AUX_VALUE_WKND(N)::value >
+          backward_
+        , aux::advance_backward< BOOST_MPL_AUX_VALUE_WKND(offset_)::value >
+        , aux::advance_forward< BOOST_MPL_AUX_VALUE_WKND(offset_)::value >
         >::type algo_;
 
     typedef typename BOOST_MPL_AUX_APPLY1(algo_,Iterator)::type type;
diff --git a/include/boost/mpl/aux_/is_msvc_eti_arg.hpp b/include/boost/mpl/aux_/is_msvc_eti_arg.hpp
index d4cbe9e..002197e 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpl/aux_/is_msvc_eti_arg.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpl/aux_/is_msvc_eti_arg.hpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ struct is_msvc_eti_arg
 { 
     static no_tag test(...);
     static yes_tag test(eti_int_convertible);
-    static T get();
+    static T& get();
 
     BOOST_STATIC_CONSTANT(bool, value = 
           sizeof(test(get())) == sizeof(yes_tag)
diff --git a/include/boost/mpl/distance.hpp b/include/boost/mpl/distance.hpp
index 2355f7b..346750e 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpl/distance.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpl/distance.hpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ template< typename Category, typename First, typename Last >
 struct distance_impl
     : iter_fold<
           iterator_range<First,Last>
-        , integral_c<unsigned long, 0>
+        , integral_c<long, 0>
         , next<>
         >
 {
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ struct distance_impl
     template< typename First, typename Last > struct result_
         : iter_fold<
               iterator_range<First,Last>
-            , integral_c<unsigned long, 0>
+            , integral_c<long, 0>
             , next<>
             >
     {