diff --git a/src/meta/xnb.c b/src/meta/xnb.c
index 98aac098..c7f74c6e 100644
--- a/src/meta/xnb.c
+++ b/src/meta/xnb.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ VGMSTREAM * init_vgmstream_xnb(STREAMFILE *streamFile) {
     {
         char reader_name[255+1];
         off_t current_offset = 0x0a;
-        int reader_string_len;
+        size_t reader_string_len;
         uint32_t fmt_chunk_size;
         const char * type_sound =  "Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.SoundEffectReader"; /* partial "fmt" chunk or XMA */
         //const char * type_song =  "Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.SongReader"; /* just references a companion .wma */
diff --git a/src/meta/xwb.c b/src/meta/xwb.c
index fdb2f196..550070c2 100644
--- a/src/meta/xwb.c
+++ b/src/meta/xwb.c
@@ -534,13 +534,13 @@ fail:
 
 /* try to get the stream name in the .xwb, though they are very rarely included */
 static int get_xwb_name(char * buf, size_t maxsize, int target_subsong, xwb_header * xwb, STREAMFILE *streamFile) {
-    int read;
+    size_t read;
 
     if (!xwb->names_offset || !xwb->names_size || xwb->names_entry_size > maxsize)
         goto fail;
 
     read = read_string(buf,xwb->names_entry_size, xwb->names_offset + xwb->names_entry_size*(target_subsong-1),streamFile);
-    if (read <= 0) goto fail;
+    if (read == 0) goto fail;
 
     return 1;
 
diff --git a/src/streamfile.c b/src/streamfile.c
index 1dd50056..a02c2ab8 100644
--- a/src/streamfile.c
+++ b/src/streamfile.c
@@ -740,17 +740,17 @@ size_t get_streamfile_text_line(int dst_length, char * dst, off_t offset, STREAM
 }
 
 
-/* reads a c-string, up to maxsize or NULL, returning size. buf is optional. */
-int read_string(char * buf, size_t maxsize, off_t offset, STREAMFILE *streamFile) {
-    int i;
+/* reads a c-string (ANSI only), up to maxsize or NULL, returning size. buf is optional (works as get_string_size). */
+size_t read_string(char * buf, size_t maxsize, off_t offset, STREAMFILE *streamFile) {
+    size_t pos;
 
-    for (i=0; i < maxsize; i++) {
-        char c = read_8bit(offset + i, streamFile);
-        if (buf) buf[i] = c;
+    for (pos = 0; pos < maxsize; pos++) {
+        char c = read_8bit(offset + pos, streamFile);
+        if (buf) buf[pos] = c;
         if (c == '\0')
-            return i;
-        if (i+1 == maxsize) { /* null at maxsize and don't validate (expected to be garbage) */
-            if (buf) buf[i] = '\0';
+            return pos;
+        if (pos+1 == maxsize) { /* null at maxsize and don't validate (expected to be garbage) */
+            if (buf) buf[pos] = '\0';
             return maxsize;
         }
         if (c < 0x20 || c > 0xA5)
diff --git a/src/streamfile.h b/src/streamfile.h
index 520e0d02..2f920f85 100644
--- a/src/streamfile.h
+++ b/src/streamfile.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ size_t get_streamfile_text_line(int dst_length, char * dst, off_t offset, STREAM
 STREAMFILE * open_stream_ext(STREAMFILE *streamFile, const char * ext);
 STREAMFILE * open_stream_name(STREAMFILE *streamFile, const char * ext);
 
-int read_string(char * buf, size_t bufsize, off_t offset, STREAMFILE *streamFile);
+size_t read_string(char * buf, size_t bufsize, off_t offset, STREAMFILE *streamFile);
 
 size_t read_key_file(uint8_t * buf, size_t bufsize, STREAMFILE *streamFile);