--- a/src/lxc/confile_utils.c
+++ b/src/lxc/confile_utils.c
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ bool parse_limit_value(const char **value, unsigned long *res)
 	char *endptr = NULL;
 
 	if (strncmp(*value, "unlimited", sizeof("unlimited") - 1) == 0) {
-		*res = RLIM_INFINITY;
+		*res = (unsigned long)RLIM_INFINITY;
 		*value += sizeof("unlimited") - 1;
 		return true;
 	}