diff --git a/src/sdl2/controller.rs b/src/sdl2/controller.rs
index d890e2c10c3..abf72f9fbe9 100644
--- a/src/sdl2/controller.rs
+++ b/src/sdl2/controller.rs
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ impl GameController {
     }
 
     /// Return the joystick instance id of this controller
-    pub fn instance_id(&self) -> i32 {
+    pub fn instance_id(&self) -> u32 {
         let result = unsafe {
           let joystick = sys::SDL_GameControllerGetJoystick(self.raw);
           sys::SDL_JoystickInstanceID(joystick)
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ impl GameController {
             // Should only fail if the joystick is NULL.
             panic!(get_error())
         } else {
-            result
+            result as u32
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/sdl2/joystick.rs b/src/sdl2/joystick.rs
index 93d5433f76b..2569b239e83 100644
--- a/src/sdl2/joystick.rs
+++ b/src/sdl2/joystick.rs
@@ -152,14 +152,14 @@ impl Joystick {
         unsafe { sys::SDL_JoystickGetAttached(self.raw) != sys::SDL_bool::SDL_FALSE }
     }
 
-    pub fn instance_id(&self) -> i32 {
+    pub fn instance_id(&self) -> u32 {
         let result = unsafe { sys::SDL_JoystickInstanceID(self.raw) };
 
         if result < 0 {
             // Should only fail if the joystick is NULL.
             panic!(get_error())
         } else {
-            result
+            result as u32
         }
     }