diff --git a/src/lxc/conf.c b/src/lxc/conf.c
index 7f583d5b2..d7984bd0f 100644
--- a/src/lxc/conf.c
+++ b/src/lxc/conf.c
@@ -1523,14 +1523,14 @@ static int lxc_setup_devpts(struct lxc_conf *conf)
 	const char *default_devpts_mntopts = "gid=5,newinstance,ptmxmode=0666,mode=0620";
 	char devpts_mntopts[256];
 
-	if (conf->pts <= 0) {
+	if (conf->pty_max <= 0) {
 		DEBUG("No new devpts instance will be mounted since no pts "
 		      "devices are requested");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	ret = snprintf(devpts_mntopts, sizeof(devpts_mntopts), "%s,max=%d",
-		       default_devpts_mntopts, conf->pts);
+	ret = snprintf(devpts_mntopts, sizeof(devpts_mntopts), "%s,max=%zu",
+		       default_devpts_mntopts, conf->pty_max);
 	if (ret < 0 || (size_t)ret >= sizeof(devpts_mntopts))
 		return -1;
 
diff --git a/src/lxc/conf.h b/src/lxc/conf.h
index 0520d55a5..5381072a0 100644
--- a/src/lxc/conf.h
+++ b/src/lxc/conf.h
@@ -255,8 +255,8 @@ struct lxc_conf {
 
 	/* Comma-separated list of lxc.tty.max pty names. */
 	struct lxc_tty_info ttys;
+	size_t pty_max;
 
-	unsigned int pts;
 	struct lxc_terminal console;
 	struct lxc_rootfs rootfs;
 	bool close_all_fds;
diff --git a/src/lxc/confile.c b/src/lxc/confile.c
index fb161575b..558e32e8c 100644
--- a/src/lxc/confile.c
+++ b/src/lxc/confile.c
@@ -974,14 +974,19 @@ static int set_config_personality(const char *key, const char *value,
 static int set_config_pty_max(const char *key, const char *value,
 			      struct lxc_conf *lxc_conf, void *data)
 {
+	int ret;
+	unsigned int max = 0;
+
 	if (lxc_config_value_empty(value)) {
-		lxc_conf->pts = 0;
+		lxc_conf->pty_max = 0;
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (lxc_safe_uint(value, &lxc_conf->pts) < 0)
+	ret = lxc_safe_uint(value, &max);
+	if (ret < 0)
 		return -1;
 
+	lxc_conf->pty_max = max;
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2919,7 +2924,7 @@ static int get_config_personality(const char *key, char *retv, int inlen,
 static int get_config_pty_max(const char *key, char *retv, int inlen,
 			      struct lxc_conf *c, void *data)
 {
-	return lxc_get_conf_int(c, retv, inlen, c->pts);
+	return lxc_get_conf_size_t(c, retv, inlen, c->pty_max);
 }
 
 static int get_config_tty_max(const char *key, char *retv, int inlen,
@@ -3696,7 +3701,7 @@ static inline int clr_config_personality(const char *key, struct lxc_conf *c,
 static inline int clr_config_pty_max(const char *key, struct lxc_conf *c,
 				     void *data)
 {
-	c->pts = 0;
+	c->pty_max = 0;
 	return 0;
 }