diff --git a/fetch-pack.c b/fetch-pack.c
index 65ebfec09f..f1e64160fc 100644
--- a/fetch-pack.c
+++ b/fetch-pack.c
@@ -1397,7 +1397,7 @@ static void write_fetch_command_and_capabilities(struct strbuf *req_buf,
 	}
 
 	if (server_feature_v2("object-format", &hash_name)) {
-		int hash_algo = hash_algo_by_name(hash_name);
+		const unsigned int hash_algo = hash_algo_by_name(hash_name);
 		if (hash_algo_by_ptr(the_hash_algo) != hash_algo)
 			die(_("mismatched algorithms: client %s; server %s"),
 			    the_hash_algo->name, hash_name);