diff --git a/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr_draw.c b/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr_draw.c
index 93ef27ad3..422b7c6b6 100644
--- a/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr_draw.c
+++ b/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyr_draw.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ ephyrDownloadFromScreen(PixmapPtr pSrc, int x, int y, int w, int h, char *dst,
     KdScreenInfo *screen = pScreenPriv->screen;
     EphyrScrPriv *scrpriv = screen->driver;
     EphyrFakexaPriv *fakexa = scrpriv->fakexa;
-    char *src;
+    unsigned char *src;
     int src_pitch, cpp;
 
     if (pSrc->drawable.bitsPerPixel < 8)
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ ephyrUploadToScreen(PixmapPtr pDst, int x, int y, int w, int h, char *src,
     KdScreenInfo *screen = pScreenPriv->screen;
     EphyrScrPriv *scrpriv = screen->driver;
     EphyrFakexaPriv *fakexa = scrpriv->fakexa;
-    char *dst;
+    unsigned char *dst;
     int dst_pitch, cpp;
 
     if (pDst->drawable.bitsPerPixel < 8)