diff --git a/glib/giochannel.c b/glib/giochannel.c
index 8516c0b5e..e93c4b458 100644
--- a/glib/giochannel.c
+++ b/glib/giochannel.c
@@ -905,7 +905,7 @@ g_io_channel_set_line_term (GIOChannel	*channel,
 
   g_free (channel->line_term);
   channel->line_term = line_term ? g_memdup2 (line_term, length_unsigned) : NULL;
-  channel->line_term_len = length;
+  channel->line_term_len = length_unsigned;
 }
 
 /**