diff --git a/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/save.c b/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/save.c
index 8afdbb5..cd36c64 100644
--- a/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/save.c
+++ b/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/save.c
@@ -1548,7 +1548,7 @@ int save_session(struct ltt_session *session,
 				goto end;
 			}
 		} else {
-			ret = config_writer_write_element_signed_int(writer,
+			ret = config_writer_write_element_unsigned_int(writer,
 					config_element_live_timer_interval, session->live_timer);
 			if (ret) {
 				ret = LTTNG_ERR_SAVE_IO_FAIL;
diff --git a/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/session.h b/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/session.h
index 14ad7af..368b352 100644
--- a/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/session.h
+++ b/src/bin/lttng-sessiond/session.h
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ struct ltt_session {
 	/*
 	 * Timer set when the session is created for live reading.
 	 */
-	int live_timer;
+	unsigned int live_timer;
 };
 
 /* Prototypes */