diff --git a/vp9/common/vp9_entropymode.c b/vp9/common/vp9_entropymode.c
index a33322c89..cda217670 100644
--- a/vp9/common/vp9_entropymode.c
+++ b/vp9/common/vp9_entropymode.c
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ void vp9_init_mode_contexts(VP9_COMMON *pc) {
 void vp9_accum_mv_refs(VP9_COMMON *pc,
                        MB_PREDICTION_MODE m,
                        const int context) {
-  int (*mv_ref_ct)[4][2];
+  unsigned int (*mv_ref_ct)[4][2];
 
   mv_ref_ct = pc->fc.mv_ref_ct;
 
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ void vp9_accum_mv_refs(VP9_COMMON *pc,
 #define MVREF_MAX_UPDATE_FACTOR 128
 void vp9_update_mode_context(VP9_COMMON *pc) {
   int i, j;
-  int (*mv_ref_ct)[4][2];
+  unsigned int (*mv_ref_ct)[4][2];
   int (*mode_context)[4];
 
   mode_context = pc->fc.vp9_mode_contexts;
diff --git a/vp9/common/vp9_onyxc_int.h b/vp9/common/vp9_onyxc_int.h
index cfbc33b8e..202f953b3 100644
--- a/vp9/common/vp9_onyxc_int.h
+++ b/vp9/common/vp9_onyxc_int.h
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ typedef struct frame_contexts {
 #endif
 
   int vp9_mode_contexts[INTER_MODE_CONTEXTS][4];
-  int mv_ref_ct[INTER_MODE_CONTEXTS][4][2];
+  unsigned int mv_ref_ct[INTER_MODE_CONTEXTS][4][2];
 } FRAME_CONTEXT;
 
 typedef enum {
diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c b/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c
index 34ae235ed..28533dbe3 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_bitstream.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ static void update_refpred_stats(VP9_COMP *cpi) {
 static void update_mode_probs(VP9_COMMON *cm,
                               int mode_context[INTER_MODE_CONTEXTS][4]) {
   int i, j;
-  int (*mv_ref_ct)[4][2];
+  unsigned int (*mv_ref_ct)[4][2];
 
   vpx_memcpy(mode_context, cm->fc.vp9_mode_contexts,
              sizeof(cm->fc.vp9_mode_contexts));