diff --git a/src/xml.h b/src/xml.h
index 87cfcb85..8b3fb08a 100644
--- a/src/xml.h
+++ b/src/xml.h
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ class document_t;
 class node_t : public supports_flags<>
 {
 public:
-  unsigned int	      name_id;
+  typedef uint_fast16_t nameid_t;
+
+  nameid_t	      name_id;
 #ifdef THREADSAFE
   document_t *	      document;
 #else