diff --git a/include/sysemu/runstate.h b/include/sysemu/runstate.h
index e557f470d4..3ab35a039a 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/runstate.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/runstate.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 bool runstate_check(RunState state);
 void runstate_set(RunState new_state);
-int runstate_is_running(void);
+bool runstate_is_running(void);
 bool runstate_needs_reset(void);
 bool runstate_store(char *str, size_t size);
 
diff --git a/softmmu/runstate.c b/softmmu/runstate.c
index 2874417b61..0187f18226 100644
--- a/softmmu/runstate.c
+++ b/softmmu/runstate.c
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ void runstate_set(RunState new_state)
     current_run_state = new_state;
 }
 
-int runstate_is_running(void)
+bool runstate_is_running(void)
 {
     return runstate_check(RUN_STATE_RUNNING);
 }