diff --git a/net.c b/net.c
index 4cf27be99c849af4f455dede9eac51b3bb62b8df..039f78b0c71fa7d9445e0e49a13b2a0654b8ade7 100644
--- a/net.c
+++ b/net.c
@@ -1426,7 +1426,7 @@ static void vde_to_qemu(void *opaque)
 static ssize_t vde_receive(VLANClientState *vc, const uint8_t *buf, size_t size)
 {
     VDEState *s = vc->opaque;
-    ssize ret;
+    ssize_t ret;
 
     do {
       ret = vde_send(s->vde, (const char *)buf, size, 0);