diff --git a/libevdev/libevdev-util.h b/libevdev/libevdev-util.h
index 74f8edb..b052597 100644
--- a/libevdev/libevdev-util.h
+++ b/libevdev/libevdev-util.h
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ set_bit_state(unsigned long *array, int bit, int state)
 		clear_bit(array, bit);
 }
 
-static inline unsigned int
+static inline int
 type_to_mask_const(const struct libevdev *dev, unsigned int type, const unsigned long **mask)
 {
-	unsigned int max;
+	int max;
 
 	switch(type) {
 		case EV_ABS:
@@ -76,16 +76,16 @@ type_to_mask_const(const struct libevdev *dev, unsigned int type, const unsigned
 			max = LED_MAX;
 			break;
 		default:
-		     return 0;
+		     return -1;
 	}
 
 	return max;
 }
 
-static inline unsigned int
+static inline int
 type_to_mask(struct libevdev *dev, unsigned int type, unsigned long **mask)
 {
-	unsigned int max;
+	int max;
 
 	switch(type) {
 		case EV_ABS:
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ type_to_mask(struct libevdev *dev, unsigned int type, unsigned long **mask)
 			max = LED_MAX;
 			break;
 		default:
-		     return 0;
+		     return -1;
 	}
 
 	return max;
diff --git a/libevdev/libevdev.c b/libevdev/libevdev.c
index 3d5bbf6..362e0ff 100644
--- a/libevdev/libevdev.c
+++ b/libevdev/libevdev.c
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ int
 libevdev_has_event_code(const struct libevdev *dev, unsigned int type, unsigned int code)
 {
 	const unsigned long *mask;
-	unsigned int max;
+	int max;
 
 	if (!libevdev_has_event_type(dev, type))
 		return 0;
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ libevdev_has_event_code(const struct libevdev *dev, unsigned int type, unsigned
 
 	max = type_to_mask_const(dev, type, &mask);
 
-	if (code > max)
+	if (max == -1 || code > max)
 		return 0;
 
 	return bit_is_set(mask, code);
@@ -840,7 +840,7 @@ libevdev_kernel_enable_event_code(struct libevdev *dev, unsigned int type, unsig
 		return rc;
 
 	max = type_to_mask_const(dev, type, &mask);
-	if (code > max)
+	if (max == -1 || code > max)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	switch(type) {