diff --git a/libavcodec/exr.c b/libavcodec/exr.c
index 9f8a015a45..207d687a4b 100644
--- a/libavcodec/exr.c
+++ b/libavcodec/exr.c
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ static int huf_unpack_enc_table(GetByteContext *gb,
         return ret;
 
     for (; im <= iM; im++) {
-        uint64_t l;
+        int l;
         if (get_bits_left(&gbit) < 6)
             return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
         l = freq[im] = get_bits(&gbit, 6);