diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index 86dbb3e29139..848b54b7ec91 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -3861,7 +3861,7 @@ static inline u32 netif_msg_init(int debug_value, int default_msg_enable_bits)
 	if (debug_value == 0)	/* no output */
 		return 0;
 	/* set low N bits */
-	return (1 << debug_value) - 1;
+	return (1U << debug_value) - 1;
 }
 
 static inline void __netif_tx_lock(struct netdev_queue *txq, int cpu)