diff --git a/386/include/u.h b/386/include/u.h
index ec4e55161..cca4b15d3 100644
--- a/386/include/u.h
+++ b/386/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char	u8int;
 typedef unsigned short	u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FCR */
 #define	FPINEX	(1<<5)
diff --git a/68000/include/u.h b/68000/include/u.h
index fe9f79723..9c7207cff 100644
--- a/68000/include/u.h
+++ b/68000/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FCR */
 #define	FPINEX	(3<<8)
diff --git a/68020/include/u.h b/68020/include/u.h
index 1eb2754db..9c7207cff 100644
--- a/68020/include/u.h
+++ b/68020/include/u.h
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
-
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FCR */
 #define	FPINEX	(3<<8)
diff --git a/amd64/include/u.h b/amd64/include/u.h
index 3ca236942..17a684368 100644
--- a/amd64/include/u.h
+++ b/amd64/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char	u8int;
 typedef unsigned short	u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* MXCSR */
 /* fcr */
diff --git a/arm/include/u.h b/arm/include/u.h
index 47d75a07a..c60b1a446 100644
--- a/arm/include/u.h
+++ b/arm/include/u.h
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* VFP FPSCR (exceptions) */
 #define	FPINEX		(1<<12)
diff --git a/mips/include/u.h b/mips/include/u.h
index f4c28fcb4..272680671 100644
--- a/mips/include/u.h
+++ b/mips/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FCR */
 #define	FPINEX	(1<<7)
diff --git a/power/include/u.h b/power/include/u.h
index e2def0bc7..a14297cee 100644
--- a/power/include/u.h
+++ b/power/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char	u8int;
 typedef unsigned short	u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FPSCR */
 #define	FPSFX	(1<<31)	/* exception summary (sticky) */
diff --git a/power64/include/u.h b/power64/include/u.h
index 0f059498b..7b94ed33a 100644
--- a/power64/include/u.h
+++ b/power64/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FPSCR */
 #define	FPSFX	(1<<31)	/* exception summary (sticky) */
diff --git a/sparc/include/u.h b/sparc/include/u.h
index 3fce8ec51..92e8d0cea 100644
--- a/sparc/include/u.h
+++ b/sparc/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FCR */
 #define	FPINEX	(1<<23)
diff --git a/sparc64/include/u.h b/sparc64/include/u.h
index 3fce8ec51..92e8d0cea 100644
--- a/sparc64/include/u.h
+++ b/sparc64/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FCR */
 #define	FPINEX	(1<<23)
diff --git a/spim/include/u.h b/spim/include/u.h
index f4c28fcb4..272680671 100644
--- a/spim/include/u.h
+++ b/spim/include/u.h
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ typedef unsigned char u8int;
 typedef unsigned short u16int;
 typedef unsigned int	u32int;
 typedef unsigned long long u64int;
+typedef signed char s8int;
+typedef signed short s16int;
+typedef signed int s32int;
+typedef signed long long s64int;
 
 /* FCR */
 #define	FPINEX	(1<<7)
diff --git a/sys/src/9/pc/etherrt2860.c b/sys/src/9/pc/etherrt2860.c
index 5ee17a6c4..0abe59ea9 100644
--- a/sys/src/9/pc/etherrt2860.c
+++ b/sys/src/9/pc/etherrt2860.c
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@
 #include "../port/etherif.h"
 #include "../port/wifi.h"
 
-/* for consistency */
-typedef signed char s8int;
-
 enum {
 	/* PCI registers */
 	PciCfg = 0x0000,
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/vmx/dat.h b/sys/src/cmd/vmx/dat.h
index b6321ab96..25a1898a0 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/vmx/dat.h
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/vmx/dat.h
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-typedef char s8int;
-typedef short s16int;
-typedef int s32int;
-
 typedef struct PCIDev PCIDev;
 typedef struct PCICap PCICap;
 typedef struct PCIBar PCIBar;
diff --git a/sys/src/games/blit/dat.h b/sys/src/games/blit/dat.h
index f96cee674..8ce31d6eb 100644
--- a/sys/src/games/blit/dat.h
+++ b/sys/src/games/blit/dat.h
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-typedef signed char s8int;
-typedef signed short s16int;
-typedef signed long s32int;
-
 extern u32int curpc, irq;
 extern int trace, debug;