diff --git a/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat.c b/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat.c
index 7df3fda6484..ea1cb8d1e3f 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat.c
@@ -1498,7 +1498,7 @@ pgstat_read_statsfile(void)
 	 */
 	for (;;)
 	{
-		char		t = fgetc(fpin);
+		int			t = fgetc(fpin);
 
 		switch (t)
 		{