diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_block.h b/vp9/encoder/vp9_block.h
index ab7991e052f3e12e582b8107708e18f6b308a6ac..ed7029ede2426d0cb484aea3e246ce4dde7dc2c8 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_block.h
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_block.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ struct macroblock {
   int sadperbit4;
   int rddiv;
   int rdmult;
-  unsigned int mb_energy;
+  int mb_energy;
 
   int mv_best_ref_index[MAX_REF_FRAMES];
   unsigned int max_mv_context[MAX_REF_FRAMES];