diff --git a/lib/rbcodec/metadata/ape.c b/lib/rbcodec/metadata/ape.c
index 8b650dbb3d..1460e4aa95 100644
--- a/lib/rbcodec/metadata/ape.c
+++ b/lib/rbcodec/metadata/ape.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ struct apetag_header
 
 struct apetag_item_header 
 {
-    uint32_t length;
+    int32_t length;
     uint32_t flags;
 };