diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/emittermanip.h b/include/yaml-cpp/emittermanip.h
index e80a573..5774df0 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/emittermanip.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/emittermanip.h
@@ -143,15 +143,15 @@ namespace YAML
         int doublePrecision;
     };
     
-    inline _Precision FloatPrecision(unsigned n) {
+    inline _Precision FloatPrecision(int n) {
         return _Precision(n, -1);
     }
 
-    inline _Precision DoublePrecision(unsigned n) {
+    inline _Precision DoublePrecision(int n) {
         return _Precision(-1, n);
     }
 
-    inline _Precision Precision(unsigned n) {
+    inline _Precision Precision(int n) {
         return _Precision(n, n);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/emitterstate.cpp b/src/emitterstate.cpp
index 7aea1b8..562e82c 100644
--- a/src/emitterstate.cpp
+++ b/src/emitterstate.cpp
@@ -265,17 +265,17 @@ namespace YAML
 		}
 	}
 
-    bool EmitterState::SetFloatPrecision(unsigned value, FMT_SCOPE scope)
+    bool EmitterState::SetFloatPrecision(int value, FMT_SCOPE scope)
     {
-        if(value > std::numeric_limits<float>::digits10)
+        if(value < 0 || value > std::numeric_limits<float>::digits10)
             return false;
         _Set(m_floatPrecision, value, scope);
         return true;
     }
     
-    bool EmitterState::SetDoublePrecision(unsigned value, FMT_SCOPE scope)
+    bool EmitterState::SetDoublePrecision(int value, FMT_SCOPE scope)
     {
-        if(value > std::numeric_limits<double>::digits10)
+        if(value < 0 || value > std::numeric_limits<double>::digits10)
             return false;
         _Set(m_doublePrecision, value, scope);
         return true;
diff --git a/src/emitterstate.h b/src/emitterstate.h
index 661e083..5698e32 100644
--- a/src/emitterstate.h
+++ b/src/emitterstate.h
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ namespace YAML
 		bool SetMapKeyFormat(EMITTER_MANIP value, FMT_SCOPE scope);
 		EMITTER_MANIP GetMapKeyFormat() const { return m_mapKeyFmt.get(); }
         
-        bool SetFloatPrecision(unsigned value, FMT_SCOPE scope);
+        bool SetFloatPrecision(int value, FMT_SCOPE scope);
         unsigned GetFloatPrecision() const { return m_floatPrecision.get(); }
-        bool SetDoublePrecision(unsigned value, FMT_SCOPE scope);
+        bool SetDoublePrecision(int value, FMT_SCOPE scope);
         unsigned GetDoublePrecision() const { return m_doublePrecision.get(); }
 		
 	private:
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ namespace YAML
 		Setting<EMITTER_MANIP> m_seqFmt;
 		Setting<EMITTER_MANIP> m_mapFmt;
 		Setting<EMITTER_MANIP> m_mapKeyFmt;
-        Setting<unsigned> m_floatPrecision;
-        Setting<unsigned> m_doublePrecision;
+        Setting<int> m_floatPrecision;
+        Setting<int> m_doublePrecision;
 		
 		SettingChanges m_modifiedSettings;
 		SettingChanges m_globalModifiedSettings;