diff --git a/src/kits/shared/SettingsMessage.cpp b/src/kits/shared/SettingsMessage.cpp
index 52a9032403..a2bd4e9ff2 100644
--- a/src/kits/shared/SettingsMessage.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/shared/SettingsMessage.cpp
@@ -367,8 +367,9 @@ SettingsMessage::GetValue(const char* name, uint32 defaultValue) const
 	if (FindUInt32(name, &value) == B_OK)
 		return value;
 	// For compatibility with older versions of this class, also accept an int32
-	if (FindInt32(name, &value) == B_OK)
-		return value;
+	int32 signed_value;
+	if (FindInt32(name, &signed_value) == B_OK && signed_value >= 0)
+		return signed_value;
 	return defaultValue;
 }