diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 077a0ff07c..42ba99e949 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+4860.	[bug]		isc_int8_t should be signed char.  [RT #46973]
+
 4859.	[bug]		A loop was possible when attempting to validate
 			unsigned CNAME responses from secure zones;
 			this caused a delay in returning SERVFAIL and
diff --git a/lib/isc/unix/include/isc/int.h b/lib/isc/unix/include/isc/int.h
index 00fc048f65..706353eaca 100644
--- a/lib/isc/unix/include/isc/int.h
+++ b/lib/isc/unix/include/isc/int.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 /*! \file */
 
-typedef char				isc_int8_t;
+typedef signed char			isc_int8_t;
 typedef unsigned char			isc_uint8_t;
 typedef short				isc_int16_t;
 typedef unsigned short			isc_uint16_t;