diff --git a/sbin/ping/ping.c b/sbin/ping/ping.c
--- a/sbin/ping/ping.c
+++ b/sbin/ping/ping.c
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@
 	ssize_t icmp_data_raw_len;
 	double triptime;
 	int dupflag, i, j, recv_len;
-	uint8_t hlen;
+	int8_t hlen;
 	uint16_t seq;
 	static int old_rrlen;
 	static char old_rr[MAX_IPOPTLEN];
@@ -1171,7 +1171,7 @@
 	hlen = (l & 0x0f) << 2;
 
 	/* Reject IP packets with a short header */
-	if (hlen < sizeof(struct ip)) {
+	if (hlen < (int8_t) sizeof(struct ip)) {
 		if (options & F_VERBOSE)
 			warn("IHL too short (%d bytes) from %s", hlen,
 			     inet_ntoa(from->sin_addr));