diff --git a/lib/permstring.c b/lib/permstring.c
index fc75d088..3834b7a1 100644
--- a/lib/permstring.c
+++ b/lib/permstring.c
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@
  *
  * @param buf buffer of at least 11 characters
  **/
-void permstring(char *perms,
-		int mode)
+void permstring(char *perms, mode_t mode)
 {
 	static const char *perm_map = "rwxrwxrwx";
 	int i;
diff --git a/lib/permstring.h b/lib/permstring.h
index d74787d8..b996f2a2 100644
--- a/lib/permstring.h
+++ b/lib/permstring.h
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #define PERMSTRING_SIZE 11
 
-void permstring(char *perms, int mode);
+void permstring(char *perms, mode_t mode);