--- a/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.hpp	Tue Nov 21 21:33:53 2017 -0500
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.hpp	Wed Nov 22 01:12:23 2017 -0800
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
   bool _unload_reported;
 
   // Protected by Patching_lock
-  volatile char _state;             // {not_installed, in_use, not_entrant, zombie, unloaded}
+  volatile signed char _state;               // {not_installed, in_use, not_entrant, zombie, unloaded}
 
 #ifdef ASSERT
   bool _oops_are_stale;  // indicates that it's no longer safe to access oops section