diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index c3956deaa..4ef8caca1 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -4202,7 +4202,7 @@ recover_savefile(void)
 {
     NHFILE *gnhfp, *lnhfp, *snhfp;
     int lev, savelev, hpid, pltmpsiz, filecmc;
-    xint16 levc;
+    xint8 levc;
     struct version_info version_data;
     int processed[256];
     char savename[SAVESIZE], errbuf[BUFSZ], indicator;
@@ -4341,14 +4341,14 @@ recover_savefile(void)
     processed[0] = 1;
 
     for (lev = 1; lev < 256; lev++) {
-        /* level numbers are kept in xint16s in save.c, so the
+        /* level numbers are kept in xint8's in save.c, so the
          * maximum level number (for the endlevel) must be < 256
          */
         if (lev != savelev) {
             lnhfp = open_levelfile(lev, (char *) 0);
             if (lnhfp) {
                 /* any or all of these may not exist */
-                levc = (xint16) lev;
+                levc = (xint8) lev;
                 (void) write(snhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &levc, sizeof(levc));
                 if (!copy_bytes(lnhfp->fd, snhfp->fd)) {
                     close_nhfile(lnhfp);