diff --git a/src/runmode-dpdk.c b/src/runmode-dpdk.c
index 04eae0138c..3e46984288 100644
--- a/src/runmode-dpdk.c
+++ b/src/runmode-dpdk.c
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ static int ConfigSetThreads(DPDKIfaceConfig *iconf, const char *entry_str)
         SCReturnInt(0);
     }
 
-    if (StringParseInt32(&iconf->threads, 10, 0, entry_str) < 0) {
+    if (StringParseUint16(&iconf->threads, 10, 0, entry_str) < 0) {
         SCLogError("Threads entry for interface %s contain non-numerical characters - \"%s\"",
                 iconf->iface, entry_str);
         SCReturnInt(-EINVAL);
diff --git a/src/source-dpdk.c b/src/source-dpdk.c
index 6977300336..e85c322371 100644
--- a/src/source-dpdk.c
+++ b/src/source-dpdk.c
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ typedef struct DPDKThreadVars_ {
     uint16_t capture_dpdk_ierrors;
     uint16_t capture_dpdk_tx_errs;
     unsigned int flags;
-    int threads;
+    uint16_t threads;
     /* for IPS */
     DpdkCopyModeEnum copy_mode;
     uint16_t out_port_id;
diff --git a/src/source-dpdk.h b/src/source-dpdk.h
index 7c2e980343..070d569fe2 100644
--- a/src/source-dpdk.h
+++ b/src/source-dpdk.h
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ typedef struct DPDKIfaceConfig_ {
     char iface[RTE_ETH_NAME_MAX_LEN];
     uint16_t port_id;
     int32_t socket_id;
-    /* number of threads - zero means all available */
-    int threads;
+    uint16_t threads;
     /* IPS mode */
     DpdkCopyModeEnum copy_mode;
     const char *out_iface;