diff --git a/include/xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h b/include/xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h
index d98daf8..541b571 100644
--- a/include/xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h
+++ b/include/xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ xkb_state_update_key(struct xkb_state *state, xkb_keycode_t key,
  *
  * This should be called before xkb_state_update_key.
  */
-unsigned int
+int
 xkb_key_get_syms(struct xkb_state *state, xkb_keycode_t key,
                  const xkb_keysym_t **syms_out);
 
diff --git a/src/map.c b/src/map.c
index 7d12765..fb005a5 100644
--- a/src/map.c
+++ b/src/map.c
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ xkb_key_get_group(struct xkb_state *state, xkb_keycode_t key)
 /**
  * As below, but takes an explicit group/level rather than state.
  */
-unsigned int
+int
 xkb_key_get_syms_by_level(struct xkb_keymap *keymap, xkb_keycode_t key,
                           unsigned int group, unsigned int level,
                           const xkb_keysym_t **syms_out)
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ err:
  * Provides the symbols to use for the given key and state.  Returns the
  * number of symbols pointed to in syms_out.
  */
-_X_EXPORT unsigned int
+_X_EXPORT int
 xkb_key_get_syms(struct xkb_state *state, xkb_keycode_t key,
                  const xkb_keysym_t **syms_out)
 {
diff --git a/src/xkb-priv.h b/src/xkb-priv.h
index b76b8c0..a7f5a70 100644
--- a/src/xkb-priv.h
+++ b/src/xkb-priv.h
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ extern unsigned int
 xkb_key_get_level(struct xkb_state *state, xkb_keycode_t key,
                   unsigned int group);
 
-extern unsigned int
+extern int
 xkb_key_get_syms_by_level(struct xkb_keymap *keymap, xkb_keycode_t key,
                           unsigned int group, unsigned int level,
                           const xkb_keysym_t **syms_out);