diff --git a/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.cpp b/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.cpp
index fd6366aeee1..885caf6d71b 100644
--- a/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.cpp
+++ b/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.cpp
@@ -1854,7 +1854,8 @@ void QMakeEvaluator::message(int type, const QString &msg) const
 {
     if (!m_skipLevel)
         m_handler->message(type, msg,
-                m_current.line ? m_current.pro->fileName() : QString(), m_current.line);
+                m_current.line ? m_current.pro->fileName() : QString(),
+                m_current.line != 0xffff ? m_current.line : -1);
 }
 
 #ifdef PROEVALUATOR_DEBUG
diff --git a/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.h b/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.h
index 1195d4b1b43..a2b4b93ad91 100644
--- a/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.h
+++ b/src/shared/proparser/qmakeevaluator.h
@@ -248,9 +248,9 @@ public:
 
     struct Location {
         Location() : pro(0), line(0) {}
-        Location(ProFile *_pro, int _line) : pro(_pro), line(_line) {}
+        Location(ProFile *_pro, ushort _line) : pro(_pro), line(_line) {}
         ProFile *pro;
-        int line;
+        ushort line;
     };
 
     Location m_current; // Currently evaluated location