diff --git a/src/util/util.c b/src/util/util.c
index a2582aad4d..7b8bf4ab64 100644
--- a/src/util/util.c
+++ b/src/util/util.c
@@ -88,42 +88,44 @@ verify(sizeof(gid_t) <= sizeof (unsigned int) &&
                              __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, __VA_ARGS__)
 
 /* Like read(), but restarts after EINTR */
-int saferead(int fd, void *buf, size_t count)
+ssize_t
+saferead(int fd, void *buf, size_t count)
 {
-        size_t nread = 0;
-        while (count > 0) {
-                ssize_t r = read(fd, buf, count);
-                if (r < 0 && errno == EINTR)
-                        continue;
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return r;
-                if (r == 0)
-                        return nread;
-                buf = (char *)buf + r;
-                count -= r;
-                nread += r;
-        }
-        return nread;
+    size_t nread = 0;
+    while (count > 0) {
+        ssize_t r = read(fd, buf, count);
+        if (r < 0 && errno == EINTR)
+            continue;
+        if (r < 0)
+            return r;
+        if (r == 0)
+            return nread;
+        buf = (char *)buf + r;
+        count -= r;
+        nread += r;
+    }
+    return nread;
 }
 
 /* Like write(), but restarts after EINTR */
-ssize_t safewrite(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count)
+ssize_t
+safewrite(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count)
 {
-        size_t nwritten = 0;
-        while (count > 0) {
-                ssize_t r = write(fd, buf, count);
+    size_t nwritten = 0;
+    while (count > 0) {
+        ssize_t r = write(fd, buf, count);
 
-                if (r < 0 && errno == EINTR)
-                        continue;
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return r;
-                if (r == 0)
-                        return nwritten;
-                buf = (const char *)buf + r;
-                count -= r;
-                nwritten += r;
-        }
-        return nwritten;
+        if (r < 0 && errno == EINTR)
+            continue;
+        if (r < 0)
+            return r;
+        if (r == 0)
+            return nwritten;
+        buf = (const char *)buf + r;
+        count -= r;
+        nwritten += r;
+    }
+    return nwritten;
 }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_POSIX_FALLOCATE
diff --git a/src/util/util.h b/src/util/util.h
index a240d8791c..0385fe18ef 100644
--- a/src/util/util.h
+++ b/src/util/util.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 #  define MIN(a, b) ((a) < (b) ? (a) : (b))
 # endif
 
-int saferead(int fd, void *buf, size_t count) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
+ssize_t saferead(int fd, void *buf, size_t count) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
 ssize_t safewrite(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count)
     ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
 int safezero(int fd, int flags, off_t offset, off_t len)