diff --git a/migration/qemu-file.c b/migration/qemu-file.c
index 94d1069c8e..1b39d51dd4 100644
--- a/migration/qemu-file.c
+++ b/migration/qemu-file.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ struct QEMUFile {
      * Total amount of data in bytes queued for transfer
      * during this rate limiting time window
      */
-    int64_t rate_limit_used;
+    uint64_t rate_limit_used;
 
     /* The sum of bytes transferred on the wire */
     uint64_t total_transferred;
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ void qemu_file_reset_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f)
     f->rate_limit_used = 0;
 }
 
-void qemu_file_acct_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f, int64_t len)
+void qemu_file_acct_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f, uint64_t len)
 {
     f->rate_limit_used += len;
 }
diff --git a/migration/qemu-file.h b/migration/qemu-file.h
index 13c7c78c0d..6905825f23 100644
--- a/migration/qemu-file.h
+++ b/migration/qemu-file.h
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ void qemu_file_reset_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f);
  * out of band from the main file object I/O methods, and
  * need to be applied to the rate limiting calcuations
  */
-void qemu_file_acct_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f, int64_t len);
+void qemu_file_acct_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f, uint64_t len);
 void qemu_file_set_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f, uint64_t new_rate);
 uint64_t qemu_file_get_rate_limit(QEMUFile *f);
 int qemu_file_get_error_obj(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp);