diff --git a/src/java.base/share/native/libjava/jni_util.c b/src/java.base/share/native/libjava/jni_util.c
index 43a2ac5440a..1090170dff3 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/native/libjava/jni_util.c
+++ b/src/java.base/share/native/libjava/jni_util.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
  * negative, or the size is INT_MAX as the macro adds 1
  * that overflows into negative value.
  */
-#define MALLOC_MIN4(len) ((unsigned)(len) >= INT_MAX ? \
+#define MALLOC_MIN4(len) ((len) >= INT_MAX || (len) < 0 ? \
     NULL : \
     ((char *)malloc((len) + 1 < 4 ? 4 : (len) + 1)))