diff --git a/models/ColorModel.cpp b/models/ColorModel.cpp
index 5552e9bd..a937f403 100644
--- a/models/ColorModel.cpp
+++ b/models/ColorModel.cpp
@@ -160,10 +160,10 @@ void ScaLBL_ColorModel::ReadInput(){
 void ScaLBL_ColorModel::AssignComponentLabels(double *phase)
 {
 	size_t NLABELS=0;
-	char VALUE=0;
+	signed char VALUE=0;
 	double AFFINITY=0.f;
 
-	auto LabelList = color_db->getVector<signed char>( "ComponentLabels" );
+	auto LabelList = color_db->getVector<int>( "ComponentLabels" );
 	auto AffinityList = color_db->getVector<double>( "ComponentAffinity" );
 
 	NLABELS=LabelList.size();
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ void ScaLBL_ColorModel::AssignComponentLabels(double *phase)
 			VALUE=LabelList[idx];
 			AFFINITY=AffinityList[idx];
 			double volume_fraction  = double(label_count_global[idx])/double((Nx-2)*(Ny-2)*(Nz-2)*nprocs);
-			printf("   label=%hhd, affinity=%f, volume fraction==%f\n",VALUE,AFFINITY,volume_fraction); 
+			printf("   label=%d, affinity=%f, volume fraction==%f\n",VALUE,AFFINITY,volume_fraction); 
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/lbpm_serial_decomp.cpp b/tests/lbpm_serial_decomp.cpp
index 9c1c887e..9277797f 100644
--- a/tests/lbpm_serial_decomp.cpp
+++ b/tests/lbpm_serial_decomp.cpp
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	else {
 		checkerSize = SIZE[0];
 	}
-	auto ReadValues = domain_db->getVector<char>( "ReadValues" );
-	auto WriteValues = domain_db->getVector<char>( "WriteValues" );
+	auto ReadValues = domain_db->getVector<int>( "ReadValues" );
+	auto WriteValues = domain_db->getVector<int>( "WriteValues" );
 	auto ReadType = domain_db->getScalar<std::string>( "ReadType" );
 	if (ReadType == "8bit"){
 	}
@@ -262,8 +262,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 								n = k*(nx+2)*(ny+2) + j*(nx+2) + i;;
 								char locval = loc_id[n];
 								for (int idx=0; idx<ReadValues.size(); idx++){
-									char oldvalue=ReadValues[idx];
-									char newvalue=WriteValues[idx];
+									signed char oldvalue=ReadValues[idx];
+									signed char newvalue=WriteValues[idx];
 									if (locval == oldvalue){
 										loc_id[n] = newvalue;
 										LabelCount[idx]++;
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 	for (int idx=0; idx<ReadValues.size(); idx++){
-		char label=ReadValues[idx];
+		int label=ReadValues[idx];
 		int count=LabelCount[idx];
 		printf("Label=%d, Count=%d \n",label,count);
 	}