diff --git a/src/BuildingPlacer.cpp b/src/BuildingPlacer.cpp
index 336984550962a5b2960ad6ce6c4fb78d638e7119..dfdfc96fcecbc1e458c84bdf82190b59d05f7ec5 100644
--- a/src/BuildingPlacer.cpp
+++ b/src/BuildingPlacer.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ bool BuildingPlacer::canBuildHereWithSpace(int bx, int by, const UnitType & type
     return true;
 }
 
-CCTilePosition BuildingPlacer::getBuildLocationNear(const CCTilePosition & p, const UnitType & t, int buildDist, int search_count) const
+CCTilePosition BuildingPlacer::getBuildLocationNear(const CCTilePosition & p, const UnitType & t, int buildDist, size_t search_count) const
 {
     //Timer t;
     //t.start();
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ CCTilePosition BuildingPlacer::getBuildLocationNear(const CCTilePosition & p, co
     //double ms1 = t.getElapsedTimeInMilliSec();
 
     // iterate through the list until we've found a suitable location
-    for (size_t i(0); i < closestToBuilding.size() && (i < 0 or i < search_count); ++i)
+    for (size_t i(0); i < closestToBuilding.size() && (search_count == 0 or i < search_count); ++i)
     {
         auto & pos = closestToBuilding[i];
 
diff --git a/src/BuildingPlacer.h b/src/BuildingPlacer.h
index 236e0f1d064b37d7496c1b8c2b539b6a82e264a9..791d3d95fe7c8c613124ab9ca506b75094c9a6b0 100644
--- a/src/BuildingPlacer.h
+++ b/src/BuildingPlacer.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public:
     bool canBuildHereWithSpace(int bx, int by, const UnitType & type, int buildDist) const;
 
     // returns a build location near a building's desired location
-    CCTilePosition getBuildLocationNear(const CCTilePosition & p, const UnitType & type, int buildDist, int search_count = 1000) const;
+    CCTilePosition getBuildLocationNear(const CCTilePosition & p, const UnitType & type, int buildDist, size_t search_count = 1000) const;
 
     void drawReservedTiles();