diff --git a/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.h b/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.h
index b3bd9aab9..9e8247d3e 100644
--- a/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.h
+++ b/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ protected:
 class epicsTimerQueueActive : public epicsTimerQueue {
 public:
     static epicsShareFunc epicsTimerQueueActive & allocate (
-        bool okToShare, int threadPriority = epicsThreadPriorityMin + 10 );
+        bool okToShare, unsigned threadPriority = epicsThreadPriorityMin + 10 );
     virtual void release () = 0; 
 protected:
     virtual ~epicsTimerQueueActive () = 0;
diff --git a/src/libCom/timer/timerPrivate.h b/src/libCom/timer/timerPrivate.h
index 38411d242..532c60bb0 100644
--- a/src/libCom/timer/timerPrivate.h
+++ b/src/libCom/timer/timerPrivate.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ public:
     epicsTimer & createTimer ();
     void show ( unsigned int level ) const;
     bool sharingOK () const;
-    int threadPriority () const;
+    unsigned threadPriority () const;
     epicsTimerForC & createTimerForC ( epicsTimerCallback, void *pPrivateIn );
     void destroyTimerForC ( epicsTimerForC & );
 private:
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ class timerQueueActiveMgr {
 public:
     ~timerQueueActiveMgr ();
     epicsTimerQueueActiveForC & allocate ( bool okToShare, 
-        int threadPriority = epicsThreadPriorityMin + 10 );
+        unsigned threadPriority = epicsThreadPriorityMin + 10 );
     void release ( epicsTimerQueueActiveForC & );
 private:
     epicsMutex mutex;
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ inline bool timerQueueActive::sharingOK () const
     return this->okToShare;
 }
 
-inline int timerQueueActive::threadPriority () const
+inline unsigned timerQueueActive::threadPriority () const
 {
     return thread.getPriority ();
 }
diff --git a/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActive.cpp b/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActive.cpp
index d5d47cc11..fc3ef878f 100644
--- a/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActive.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActive.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ timerQueueActiveMgr queueMgr;
 
 epicsTimerQueueActive::~epicsTimerQueueActive () {}
 
-epicsTimerQueueActive &epicsTimerQueueActive::allocate ( bool okToShare, int threadPriority )
+epicsTimerQueueActive &epicsTimerQueueActive::allocate ( bool okToShare, unsigned threadPriority )
 {
     return queueMgr.allocate ( okToShare, threadPriority );
 }
diff --git a/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActiveMgr.cpp b/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActiveMgr.cpp
index ca44e3eaa..ddc1d630b 100644
--- a/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActiveMgr.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/timer/timerQueueActiveMgr.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ timerQueueActiveMgr::~timerQueueActiveMgr ()
 }
     
 epicsTimerQueueActiveForC & timerQueueActiveMgr::allocate (
-        bool okToShare, int threadPriority )
+        bool okToShare, unsigned threadPriority )
 {
     epicsAutoMutex locker ( this->mutex );
     if ( okToShare ) {