diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-04-03-10-14-36.bpo-31904.xd3b78.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-04-03-10-14-36.bpo-31904.xd3b78.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..11bf13cb7c2e5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-04-03-10-14-36.bpo-31904.xd3b78.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+fix the data type issue in 'wakeup' in signalmodule
diff --git a/Modules/signalmodule.c b/Modules/signalmodule.c
index 4590017c170a52..438c02f580b961 100644
--- a/Modules/signalmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/signalmodule.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ static volatile struct {
 #else
 #define INVALID_FD (-1)
 static volatile struct {
-    sig_atomic_t fd;
+    int fd;
     int warn_on_full_buffer;
 } wakeup = {.fd = INVALID_FD, .warn_on_full_buffer = 1};
 #endif