diff --git a/include/libwebsockets.h b/include/libwebsockets.h
index 759f3d61f..bc7407c99 100644
--- a/include/libwebsockets.h
+++ b/include/libwebsockets.h
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ struct lws;
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 #if !defined(LWS_WIN32_HANDLE_TYPES)
 typedef SOCKET lws_sockfd_type;
-typedef HANDLE lws_filefd_type;
+typedef int lws_filefd_type;
 #endif
 
 
diff --git a/lib/plat/windows/private-lib-plat-windows.h b/lib/plat/windows/private-lib-plat-windows.h
index beb5f544d..f2e93f318 100644
--- a/lib/plat/windows/private-lib-plat-windows.h
+++ b/lib/plat/windows/private-lib-plat-windows.h
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ struct lws_fd_hashtable {
 #endif
 
 typedef SOCKET lws_sockfd_type;
-typedef HANDLE lws_filefd_type;
+typedef int lws_filefd_type;
 #define LWS_WIN32_HANDLE_TYPES
 
 LWS_EXTERN struct lws *