diff --git a/hw/core/sysbus.c b/hw/core/sysbus.c
index b84cd4a16f..146f50aa15 100644
--- a/hw/core/sysbus.c
+++ b/hw/core/sysbus.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void sysbus_connect_irq(SysBusDevice *dev, int n, qemu_irq irq)
 }
 
 static void sysbus_mmio_map_common(SysBusDevice *dev, int n, hwaddr addr,
-                                   bool may_overlap, unsigned priority)
+                                   bool may_overlap, int priority)
 {
     assert(n >= 0 && n < dev->num_mmio);
 
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void sysbus_mmio_map(SysBusDevice *dev, int n, hwaddr addr)
 }
 
 void sysbus_mmio_map_overlap(SysBusDevice *dev, int n, hwaddr addr,
-                             unsigned priority)
+                             int priority)
 {
     sysbus_mmio_map_common(dev, n, addr, true, priority);
 }
diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
index ebe0d24182..480dfbf9da 100644
--- a/include/exec/memory.h
+++ b/include/exec/memory.h
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ struct MemoryRegion {
     bool flush_coalesced_mmio;
     MemoryRegion *alias;
     hwaddr alias_offset;
-    unsigned priority;
+    int priority;
     bool may_overlap;
     QTAILQ_HEAD(subregions, MemoryRegion) subregions;
     QTAILQ_ENTRY(MemoryRegion) subregions_link;
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ void memory_region_add_subregion(MemoryRegion *mr,
 void memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(MemoryRegion *mr,
                                          hwaddr offset,
                                          MemoryRegion *subregion,
-                                         unsigned priority);
+                                         int priority);
 
 /**
  * memory_region_get_ram_addr: Get the ram address associated with a memory
diff --git a/include/hw/sysbus.h b/include/hw/sysbus.h
index bb50a877cc..f5aaa05ee3 100644
--- a/include/hw/sysbus.h
+++ b/include/hw/sysbus.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void sysbus_init_ioports(SysBusDevice *dev, pio_addr_t ioport, pio_addr_t size);
 void sysbus_connect_irq(SysBusDevice *dev, int n, qemu_irq irq);
 void sysbus_mmio_map(SysBusDevice *dev, int n, hwaddr addr);
 void sysbus_mmio_map_overlap(SysBusDevice *dev, int n, hwaddr addr,
-                             unsigned priority);
+                             int priority);
 void sysbus_add_io(SysBusDevice *dev, hwaddr addr,
                    MemoryRegion *mem);
 void sysbus_del_io(SysBusDevice *dev, MemoryRegion *mem);
diff --git a/memory.c b/memory.c
index 5a10fd0bde..f49d31ae72 100644
--- a/memory.c
+++ b/memory.c
@@ -1473,7 +1473,7 @@ void memory_region_add_subregion(MemoryRegion *mr,
 void memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(MemoryRegion *mr,
                                          hwaddr offset,
                                          MemoryRegion *subregion,
-                                         unsigned priority)
+                                         int priority)
 {
     subregion->may_overlap = true;
     subregion->priority = priority;
@@ -1506,7 +1506,7 @@ void memory_region_set_enabled(MemoryRegion *mr, bool enabled)
 void memory_region_set_address(MemoryRegion *mr, hwaddr addr)
 {
     MemoryRegion *parent = mr->parent;
-    unsigned priority = mr->priority;
+    int priority = mr->priority;
     bool may_overlap = mr->may_overlap;
 
     if (addr == mr->addr || !parent) {