diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp
index 97aaaf945..7a90abb0f 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ dbf_file::dbf_file(std::string const& file_name)
    :num_records_(0),
     num_fields_(0),
     record_length_(0),
-    file_(file_name),
+    file_(file_name,std::ios::binary),
     record_(0)
 {
    if (file_.is_open())
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
index ff1934558..5c589a7a4 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ struct shape_record
       
     int read_ndr_integer()
     {
-        int val;
+	boost::int32_t val;
         read_int32_ndr(&data[pos],val);
         pos+=4;
         return val;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ struct shape_record
       
     int read_xdr_integer()
     {
-        int val;
+	boost::int32_t val;
         read_int32_xdr(&data[pos],val);
         pos+=4;
         return val;
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public:
     shape_file() {}
 
     shape_file(std::string  const& file_name)
-        : file_(file_name) {}
+        : file_(file_name,std::ios::binary) {}
 
     ~shape_file() {}
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ public:
     {
         char b[4];
         file_.read(b, 4);
-        int val;
+	boost::int32_t val;
         read_int32_xdr(b,val);
         return val;
     }
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public:
     {
         char b[4];
         file_.read(b,4);
-        int val;
+	boost::int32_t val;
         read_int32_ndr(b,val);
         return val;
     }
diff --git a/src/wkb.cpp b/src/wkb.cpp
index d6307ebef..06c569c14 100644
--- a/src/wkb.cpp
+++ b/src/wkb.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ namespace mapnik
         
         int read_integer() 
         {
-            int n;
+	    boost::int32_t n;
             if (needSwap_)
             {
                 read_int32_xdr(wkb_+pos_,n);