diff --git a/target/hppa/cpu.h b/target/hppa/cpu.h
index 2bcb3b602b..5478b183dc 100644
--- a/target/hppa/cpu.h
+++ b/target/hppa/cpu.h
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ typedef struct CPUArchState {
     uint32_t psw;            /* All psw bits except the following:  */
     uint32_t psw_xb;         /* X and B, in their normal positions */
     target_ulong psw_n;      /* boolean */
-    target_long psw_v;       /* in most significant bit */
+    target_long psw_v;       /* in bit 31 */
 
     /* Splitting the carry-borrow field into the MSB and "the rest", allows
      * for "the rest" to be deleted when it is unused, but the MSB is in use.
diff --git a/target/hppa/helper.c b/target/hppa/helper.c
index b79ddd8184..d4b1a3cd5a 100644
--- a/target/hppa/helper.c
+++ b/target/hppa/helper.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ target_ulong cpu_hppa_get_psw(CPUHPPAState *env)
     }
 
     psw |= env->psw_n * PSW_N;
-    psw |= (env->psw_v < 0) * PSW_V;
+    psw |= ((env->psw_v >> 31) & 1) * PSW_V;
     psw |= env->psw | env->psw_xb;
 
     return psw;