diff --git a/vfs/cpio.c b/vfs/cpio.c
index fb93d9a2e..167d742e8 100644
--- a/vfs/cpio.c
+++ b/vfs/cpio.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ static int cpio_read_bin_head(struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_super *super);
 static int cpio_read_oldc_head(struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_super *super);
 static int cpio_read_crc_head(struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_super *super);
 static int cpio_create_entry(struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_super *super, struct stat *, char *name);
-static int cpio_read(void *fh, char *buffer, int count);
+static ssize_t cpio_read(void *fh, char *buffer, int count);
 
 #define CPIO_POS(super) cpio_position
 /* If some time reentrancy should be needed change it to */
diff --git a/vfs/direntry.c b/vfs/direntry.c
index 3a52d2229..52e706589 100644
--- a/vfs/direntry.c
+++ b/vfs/direntry.c
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ vfs_s_open (struct vfs_class *me, const char *file, int flags, int mode)
     return fh;
 }
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 vfs_s_read (void *fh, char *buffer, int count)
 {
     int n;
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ vfs_s_write (void *fh, const char *buffer, int count)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int
+static off_t
 vfs_s_lseek (void *fh, off_t offset, int whence)
 {
     off_t size = FH->ino->st.st_size;
diff --git a/vfs/extfs.c b/vfs/extfs.c
index d634e3309..1306c5bcb 100644
--- a/vfs/extfs.c
+++ b/vfs/extfs.c
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ extfs_open (struct vfs_class *me, const char *file, int flags, int mode)
     return extfs_info;
 }
 
-static int extfs_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count)
+static ssize_t extfs_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count)
 {
     struct pseudofile *file = (struct pseudofile *)data;
 
@@ -1016,7 +1016,7 @@ static int extfs_chmod (struct vfs_class *me, const char *path, int mode)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int extfs_write (void *data, const char *buf, int nbyte)
+static ssize_t extfs_write (void *data, const char *buf, int nbyte)
 {
     struct pseudofile *file = (struct pseudofile *)data;
 
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ extfs_chdir (struct vfs_class *me, const char *path)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int extfs_lseek (void *data, off_t offset, int whence)
+static off_t extfs_lseek (void *data, off_t offset, int whence)
 {
     struct pseudofile *file = (struct pseudofile *) data;
 
diff --git a/vfs/local.c b/vfs/local.c
index 3a539191b..9ed245a3e 100644
--- a/vfs/local.c
+++ b/vfs/local.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ local_open (struct vfs_class *me, const char *file, int flags, int mode)
     return local_info;
 }
 
-int
+ssize_t
 local_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count)
 {
     int n;
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ local_symlink (struct vfs_class *me, const char *n1, const char *n2)
     return symlink (n1, n2);
 }
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 local_write (void *data, const char *buf, int nbyte)
 {
     int fd;
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ local_chdir (struct vfs_class *me, const char *path)
     return chdir (path);
 }
 
-int
+off_t
 local_lseek (void *data, off_t offset, int whence)
 {
     int fd = * (int *) data;
diff --git a/vfs/local.h b/vfs/local.h
index daa894002..03d5ce29a 100644
--- a/vfs/local.h
+++ b/vfs/local.h
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ extern void init_localfs (void);
 /* these functions are used by other filesystems, so they are
  * published here. */
 extern int local_close (void *data);
-extern int local_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count);
+extern ssize_t local_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count);
 extern int local_fstat (void *data, struct stat *buf);
 extern int local_errno (struct vfs_class *me);
-extern int local_lseek (void *data, off_t offset, int whence);
+extern off_t local_lseek (void *data, off_t offset, int whence);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/vfs/mcfs.c b/vfs/mcfs.c
index 07de5a34e..0261bbc6e 100644
--- a/vfs/mcfs.c
+++ b/vfs/mcfs.c
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ mcfs_open (struct vfs_class *me, const char *file, int flags, int mode)
     return remote_handle;
 }
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 mcfs_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count)
 {
     mcfs_handle *info = (mcfs_handle *) data;
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ mcfs_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count)
     return result;
 }
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 mcfs_write (void *data, const char *buf, int nbyte)
 {
     mcfs_handle *info = (mcfs_handle *) data;
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ mcfs_chdir (struct vfs_class *me, const char *path)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int
+static off_t
 mcfs_lseek (void *data, off_t offset, int whence)
 {
     mcfs_handle *info = (mcfs_handle *) data;
diff --git a/vfs/smbfs.c b/vfs/smbfs.c
index a133fa341..fb3fc97e5 100644
--- a/vfs/smbfs.c
+++ b/vfs/smbfs.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ smbfs_fill_names (struct vfs_class *me, fill_names_f func)
 #define GNAL_VNC(s) unix_to_dos(s,False)
 /* does same as do_get() in client.c */
 /* called from vfs.c:1080, count = buffer size */
-static int
+static ssize_t
 smbfs_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count)
 {
     smbfs_handle *info = (smbfs_handle *) data;
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ smbfs_read (void *data, char *buffer, int count)
 	return n;
 }
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 smbfs_write (void *data, const char *buf, int nbyte)
 {
     smbfs_handle *info = (smbfs_handle *) data;
@@ -1625,7 +1625,7 @@ smbfs_stat (struct vfs_class * me, const char *path, struct stat *buf)
 
 #define smbfs_lstat smbfs_stat	/* no symlinks on smb filesystem? */
 
-static int
+static off_t
 smbfs_lseek (void *data, off_t offset, int whence)
 {
     smbfs_handle *info = (smbfs_handle *) data;
diff --git a/vfs/tar.c b/vfs/tar.c
index bcde1695a..b9cadc0db 100644
--- a/vfs/tar.c
+++ b/vfs/tar.c
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ tar_super_same (struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_super *parc,
     return 1;
 }
 
-static int tar_read (void *fh, char *buffer, int count)
+static ssize_t tar_read (void *fh, char *buffer, int count)
 {
     off_t begin = FH->ino->data_offset;
     int fd = FH_SUPER->u.arch.fd;
diff --git a/vfs/undelfs.c b/vfs/undelfs.c
index cea0e7991..91d02f00d 100644
--- a/vfs/undelfs.c
+++ b/vfs/undelfs.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ static struct lsdel_struct     lsd;
 static struct deleted_info     *delarray;
 static int num_delarray, max_delarray;
 static char *block_buf;
-static char *undelfserr = N_(" undelfs: error ");
+static const char *undelfserr = N_(" undelfs: error ");
 static int readdir_ptr;
 static int undelfs_usage;
 static struct vfs_class vfs_undelfs_ops;
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ undelfs_dump_read(ext2_filsys fs, blk_t *blocknr, int blockcnt, void *private)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 undelfs_read (void *vfs_info, char *buffer, int count)
 {
     undelfs_file *p = vfs_info;
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ undelfs_chdir(struct vfs_class *me, const char *path)
 }
 
 /* this has to stay here for now: vfs layer does not know how to emulate it */
-static int
+static off_t
 undelfs_lseek(void *vfs_info, off_t offset, int whence)
 {
     return -1;
diff --git a/vfs/vfs-impl.h b/vfs/vfs-impl.h
index 21752ebcd..1039abc54 100644
--- a/vfs/vfs-impl.h
+++ b/vfs/vfs-impl.h
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ struct vfs_class {
     void *(*open) (struct vfs_class *me, const char *fname, int flags,
 		   int mode);
     int (*close) (void *vfs_info);
-    int (*read) (void *vfs_info, char *buffer, int count);
-    int (*write) (void *vfs_info, const char *buf, int count);
+    ssize_t (*read) (void *vfs_info, char *buffer, int count);
+    ssize_t (*write) (void *vfs_info, const char *buf, int count);
 
     void *(*opendir) (struct vfs_class *me, const char *dirname);
     void *(*readdir) (void *vfs_info);
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ struct vfs_class {
     int (*rename) (struct vfs_class *me, const char *p1, const char *p2);
     int (*chdir) (struct vfs_class *me, const char *path);
     int (*ferrno) (struct vfs_class *me);
-    int (*lseek) (void *vfs_info, off_t offset, int whence);
+    off_t (*lseek) (void *vfs_info, off_t offset, int whence);
     int (*mknod) (struct vfs_class *me, const char *path, int mode, int dev);
 
     vfsid (*getid) (struct vfs_class *me, const char *path);
diff --git a/vfs/vfs.h b/vfs/vfs.h
index f7ec56233..d79c706f4 100644
--- a/vfs/vfs.h
+++ b/vfs/vfs.h
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ int vfs_file_is_local (const char *filename);
 
 int mc_open (const char *filename, int flags, ...);
 int mc_close (int handle);
-int mc_read (int handle, void *buffer, int count);
-int mc_write (int handle, const void *buffer, int count);
+ssize_t mc_read (int handle, void *buffer, int count);
+ssize_t mc_write (int handle, const void *buffer, int count);
 off_t mc_lseek (int fd, off_t offset, int whence);
 int mc_chdir (const char *path);