diff --git a/arch/arc/include/asm/bitops.h b/arch/arc/include/asm/bitops.h
index ee9246184033..202b74c339f0 100644
--- a/arch/arc/include/asm/bitops.h
+++ b/arch/arc/include/asm/bitops.h
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ static inline __attribute__ ((const)) int __fls(unsigned long x)
 /*
  * __ffs: Similar to ffs, but zero based (0-31)
  */
-static inline __attribute__ ((const)) int __ffs(unsigned long word)
+static inline __attribute__ ((const)) unsigned long __ffs(unsigned long word)
 {
 	if (!word)
 		return word;
@@ -400,9 +400,9 @@ static inline __attribute__ ((const)) int ffs(unsigned long x)
 /*
  * __ffs: Similar to ffs, but zero based (0-31)
  */
-static inline __attribute__ ((const)) int __ffs(unsigned long x)
+static inline __attribute__ ((const)) unsigned long __ffs(unsigned long x)
 {
-	int n;
+	unsigned long n;
 
 	asm volatile(
 	"	ffs.f	%0, %1		\n"  /* 0:31; 31(Z) if src 0 */