diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p-local.c b/hw/9pfs/9p-local.c
index 828e8d6e56..c30f4f26bd 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/9p-local.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/9p-local.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ update_map_file:
     if (credp->fc_gid != -1) {
         gid = credp->fc_gid;
     }
-    if (credp->fc_mode != -1) {
+    if (credp->fc_mode != (mode_t)-1) {
         mode = credp->fc_mode;
     }
     if (credp->fc_rdev != -1) {
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ static int local_set_xattrat(int dirfd, const char *path, FsCred *credp)
             return err;
         }
     }
-    if (credp->fc_mode != -1) {
+    if (credp->fc_mode != (mode_t)-1) {
         uint32_t tmp_mode = cpu_to_le32(credp->fc_mode);
         err = fsetxattrat_nofollow(dirfd, path, "user.virtfs.mode", &tmp_mode,
                                    sizeof(mode_t), 0);