diff --git a/include/ChangeLog b/include/ChangeLog
index b88ca7880..b7607afbd 100644
--- a/include/ChangeLog
+++ b/include/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2003-05-15  Jim Blandy  <jimb@redhat.com>
+
+	* libiberty.h (hex_value): Make the value an unsigned int, to
+	avoid unexpected sign-extension when cast to unsigned types larger
+	than int --- like bfd_vma, on some platforms.
+	(_hex_value): Update declaration.
+
 2003-05-09  Alan Modra  <amodra@bigpond.net.au>
 
 	* xtensa-isa-internal.h (xtensa_isa_module_struct): Remove const on
diff --git a/include/libiberty.h b/include/libiberty.h
index 676ceaba4..761b2cf06 100644
--- a/include/libiberty.h
+++ b/include/libiberty.h
@@ -254,12 +254,12 @@ extern double physmem_available PARAMS ((void));
 
 #define _hex_array_size 256
 #define _hex_bad	99
-extern const char _hex_value[_hex_array_size];
+extern const unsigned char _hex_value[_hex_array_size];
 extern void hex_init PARAMS ((void));
 #define hex_p(c)	(hex_value (c) != _hex_bad)
 /* If you change this, note well: Some code relies on side effects in
    the argument being performed exactly once.  */
-#define hex_value(c)	(_hex_value[(unsigned char) (c)])
+#define hex_value(c)	((unsigned int) _hex_value[(unsigned char) (c)])
 
 /* Definitions used by the pexecute routine.  */