diff --git a/fluid/ExternalCodeEditor_WIN32.cxx b/fluid/ExternalCodeEditor_WIN32.cxx
index 4646fe5..3b7f693 100644
--- a/fluid/ExternalCodeEditor_WIN32.cxx
+++ b/fluid/ExternalCodeEditor_WIN32.cxx
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ void ExternalCodeEditor::reap_cleanup() {
 int ExternalCodeEditor::reap_editor(DWORD *pid_reaped) {
   if ( pid_reaped ) *pid_reaped = 0;
   if ( !is_editing() ) return -2;
-  int err;
+  DWORD err;
   DWORD msecs_wait = 50;   // .05 sec
   switch ( err = WaitForSingleObject(pinfo_.hProcess, msecs_wait) ) {
     case WAIT_TIMEOUT: {   // process didn't reap, still running