diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index 4dcc9deb0..a9d16e453 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -1370,7 +1370,7 @@ void InitSSL_Method(WOLFSSL_METHOD* method, ProtocolVersion pv)
 }
 
 #if defined(OPENSSL_EXTRA) || defined(WOLFSSL_EITHER_SIDE)
-int InitSSL_Side(WOLFSSL* ssl, int side)
+int InitSSL_Side(WOLFSSL* ssl, word16 side)
 {
     if (ssl == NULL)
         return BAD_FUNC_ARG;
diff --git a/wolfssl/internal.h b/wolfssl/internal.h
index 0d417e75e..960b5a01d 100644
--- a/wolfssl/internal.h
+++ b/wolfssl/internal.h
@@ -1587,7 +1587,7 @@ typedef struct Suites Suites;
 WOLFSSL_LOCAL void InitSSL_Method(WOLFSSL_METHOD*, ProtocolVersion);
 
 WOLFSSL_LOCAL int InitSSL_Suites(WOLFSSL* ssl);
-WOLFSSL_LOCAL int InitSSL_Side(WOLFSSL* ssl, int side);
+WOLFSSL_LOCAL int InitSSL_Side(WOLFSSL* ssl, word16 side);
 
 /* for sniffer */
 WOLFSSL_LOCAL int DoFinished(WOLFSSL* ssl, const byte* input, word32* inOutIdx,