diff --git a/include/my_global.h b/include/my_global.h
index f3f3825957f..21b2251af1d 100644
--- a/include/my_global.h
+++ b/include/my_global.h
@@ -797,6 +797,9 @@ typedef SOCKET_SIZE_TYPE size_socket;
 #define DBL_MAX		1.79769313486231470e+308
 #define FLT_MAX		((float)3.40282346638528860e+38)
 #endif
+#ifndef SSIZE_MAX
+#define SSIZE_MAX ((~((size_t) 0)) / 2)
+#endif
 
 #if !defined(HAVE_ISINF) && !defined(isinf)
 #define isinf(X)    0
diff --git a/sql/mysqld.cc b/sql/mysqld.cc
index f2d7191f130..75e2720c13a 100644
--- a/sql/mysqld.cc
+++ b/sql/mysqld.cc
@@ -6156,7 +6156,8 @@ The minimum value for this variable is 4096.",
    "Each thread that does a sequential scan allocates a buffer of this size for each table it scans. If you do many sequential scans, you may want to increase this value.",
    (gptr*) &global_system_variables.read_buff_size,
    (gptr*) &max_system_variables.read_buff_size,0, GET_ULONG, REQUIRED_ARG,
-   128*1024L, IO_SIZE*2+MALLOC_OVERHEAD, ~0L, MALLOC_OVERHEAD, IO_SIZE, 0},
+   128*1024L, IO_SIZE*2+MALLOC_OVERHEAD, SSIZE_MAX, MALLOC_OVERHEAD, IO_SIZE,
+   0},
   {"read_only", OPT_READONLY,
    "Make all non-temporary tables read-only, with the exception for replication (slave) threads and users with the SUPER privilege",
    (gptr*) &opt_readonly,
@@ -6167,12 +6168,12 @@ The minimum value for this variable is 4096.",
    (gptr*) &global_system_variables.read_rnd_buff_size,
    (gptr*) &max_system_variables.read_rnd_buff_size, 0,
    GET_ULONG, REQUIRED_ARG, 256*1024L, IO_SIZE*2+MALLOC_OVERHEAD,
-   ~0L, MALLOC_OVERHEAD, IO_SIZE, 0},
+   SSIZE_MAX, MALLOC_OVERHEAD, IO_SIZE, 0},
   {"record_buffer", OPT_RECORD_BUFFER,
    "Alias for read_buffer_size",
    (gptr*) &global_system_variables.read_buff_size,
    (gptr*) &max_system_variables.read_buff_size,0, GET_ULONG, REQUIRED_ARG,
-   128*1024L, IO_SIZE*2+MALLOC_OVERHEAD, ~0L, MALLOC_OVERHEAD, IO_SIZE, 0},
+   128*1024L, IO_SIZE*2+MALLOC_OVERHEAD, SSIZE_MAX, MALLOC_OVERHEAD, IO_SIZE, 0},
 #ifdef HAVE_REPLICATION
   {"relay_log_purge", OPT_RELAY_LOG_PURGE,
    "0 = do not purge relay logs. 1 = purge them as soon as they are no more needed.",