diff --git a/mm/compaction.c b/mm/compaction.c
index a08bf219f88c..74a8c825ff28 100644
--- a/mm/compaction.c
+++ b/mm/compaction.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ struct compact_control {
 	unsigned long migrate_pfn;	/* isolate_migratepages search base */
 	bool sync;			/* Synchronous migration */
 
-	unsigned int order;		/* order a direct compactor needs */
+	int order;			/* order a direct compactor needs */
 	int migratetype;		/* MOVABLE, RECLAIMABLE etc */
 	struct zone *zone;
 };
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ static int __compact_pgdat(pg_data_t *pgdat, struct compact_control *cc)
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&cc->freepages);
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&cc->migratepages);
 
-		if (cc->order < 0 || !compaction_deferred(zone, cc->order))
+		if (cc->order == -1 || !compaction_deferred(zone, cc->order))
 			compact_zone(zone, cc);
 
 		if (cc->order > 0) {