diff --git a/include/linux/spi/spi.h b/include/linux/spi/spi.h
index 2d906b9c14992..e1d88630ff243 100644
--- a/include/linux/spi/spi.h
+++ b/include/linux/spi/spi.h
@@ -646,8 +646,8 @@ struct spi_controller {
 	int			*cs_gpios;
 	struct gpio_desc	**cs_gpiods;
 	bool			use_gpio_descriptors;
-	u8			unused_native_cs;
-	u8			max_native_cs;
+	s8			unused_native_cs;
+	s8			max_native_cs;
 
 	/* statistics */
 	struct spi_statistics	statistics;