diff --git a/include/wx/gtk/textentry.h b/include/wx/gtk/textentry.h
index e55fad8d4c..757917e5a8 100644
--- a/include/wx/gtk/textentry.h
+++ b/include/wx/gtk/textentry.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ protected:
     // Override the base class method to use GtkEntry IM context.
     virtual int GTKIMFilterKeypress(GdkEventKey* event) const;
 
-    static unsigned int GTKGetEntryTextLength(GtkEntry* entry);
+    static int GTKGetEntryTextLength(GtkEntry* entry);
 
 private:
     // implement this to return the associated GtkEntry or another widget
diff --git a/src/gtk/textentry.cpp b/src/gtk/textentry.cpp
index bc4735a8a7..2a442b009a 100644
--- a/src/gtk/textentry.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/textentry.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 //  helper function to get the length of the text
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-static unsigned int GetEntryTextLength(GtkEntry* entry)
+static int GetEntryTextLength(GtkEntry* entry)
 {
 #if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(2, 14, 0)
     if ( wx_is_at_least_gtk2(14) )
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ void wxTextEntry::Remove(long from, long to)
 }
 
 // static
-unsigned int wxTextEntry::GTKGetEntryTextLength(GtkEntry* entry)
+int wxTextEntry::GTKGetEntryTextLength(GtkEntry* entry)
 {
     return GetEntryTextLength(entry);
 }