diff --git a/bindings/python/src/create_torrent.cpp b/bindings/python/src/create_torrent.cpp
index 0ca1d1a97..b339a1c81 100644
--- a/bindings/python/src/create_torrent.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/src/create_torrent.cpp
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ void bind_create_torrent()
     std::string (file_storage::*file_storage_file_path)(file_index_t, std::string const&) const = &file_storage::file_path;
     std::int64_t (file_storage::*file_storage_file_size)(file_index_t) const = &file_storage::file_size;
     std::int64_t (file_storage::*file_storage_file_offset)(file_index_t) const = &file_storage::file_offset;
-    int (file_storage::*file_storage_file_flags)(file_index_t) const = &file_storage::file_flags;
+    std::uint32_t (file_storage::*file_storage_file_flags)(file_index_t) const = &file_storage::file_flags;
 
 #ifndef TORRENT_NO_DEPRECATE
     file_entry (file_storage::*at)(int) const = &file_storage::at;
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/file_storage.hpp b/include/libtorrent/file_storage.hpp
index b389cbe6e..fb1a5aa0c 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/file_storage.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/file_storage.hpp
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, std::string const& path, std::int64_t file_size
 			, std::uint32_t file_flags = 0, char const* filehash = 0
 			, std::int64_t mtime = 0, string_view symlink_path = string_view());
-		void add_file(std::string const& path, std::int64_t file_size, int file_flags = 0
+		void add_file(std::string const& path, std::int64_t file_size, std::uint32_t file_flags = 0
 			, std::time_t mtime = 0, string_view symlink_path = string_view());
 
 		// renames the file at ``index`` to ``new_filename``. Keep in mind
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		// instead, use the wchar -> utf8 conversion functions
 		// and pass in utf8 strings
 		TORRENT_DEPRECATED
-		void add_file(std::wstring const& p, std::int64_t size, int flags = 0
+		void add_file(std::wstring const& p, std::int64_t size, std::uint32_t flags = 0
 			, std::time_t mtime = 0, string_view s_p = "");
 		TORRENT_DEPRECATED
 		void rename_file(file_index_t index, std::wstring const& new_filename);
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		// flags indicating various attributes for files in
 		// a file_storage.
-		enum file_flags_t
+		enum file_flags_t : std::uint32_t
 		{
 			// this file is a pad file. The creator of the
 			// torrent promises the file is entirely filled with
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		// returns a bitmask of flags from file_flags_t that apply
 		// to file at ``index``.
-		int file_flags(file_index_t index) const;
+		std::uint32_t file_flags(file_index_t index) const;
 
 		// returns true if the file at the specified index has been renamed to
 		// have an absolute path, i.e. is not anchored in the save path of the
diff --git a/src/create_torrent.cpp b/src/create_torrent.cpp
index 058f5878c..dd12594f1 100644
--- a/src/create_torrent.cpp
+++ b/src/create_torrent.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		inline bool ignore_subdir(std::string const& leaf)
 		{ return leaf == ".." || leaf == "."; }
 
-		int get_file_attributes(std::string const& p)
+		std::uint32_t get_file_attributes(std::string const& p)
 		{
 #ifdef TORRENT_WINDOWS
 			WIN32_FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DATA attr;
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			return 0;
 #else
 			struct stat s;
-			if (lstat(convert_to_native(p).c_str(), &s) < 0) return 0;
-			int file_attr = 0;
+			if (::lstat(convert_to_native(p).c_str(), &s) < 0) return 0;
+			std::uint32_t file_attr = 0;
 			if (s.st_mode & S_IXUSR)
 				file_attr += file_storage::attribute_executable;
 			if (S_ISLNK(s.st_mode))
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			else
 			{
 				// #error use the fields from s
-				int file_flags = get_file_attributes(f);
+				std::uint32_t file_flags = get_file_attributes(f);
 
 				// mask all bits to check if the file is a symlink
 				if ((file_flags & file_storage::attribute_symlink)
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			file_index_t const first(0);
 			if (m_include_mtime) info["mtime"] = m_files.mtime(first);
 			info["length"] = m_files.file_size(first);
-			int const flags = m_files.file_flags(first);
+			std::uint32_t const flags = m_files.file_flags(first);
 			if (flags & (file_storage::flag_pad_file
 				| file_storage::flag_hidden
 				| file_storage::flag_executable
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 							path_e.list().push_back(entry(e));
 					}
 
-					int const flags = m_files.file_flags(i);
+					std::uint32_t const flags = m_files.file_flags(i);
 					if (flags != 0)
 					{
 						std::string& attr = file_e["attr"].string();
diff --git a/src/file_storage.cpp b/src/file_storage.cpp
index 30d15d005..3e4e6734d 100644
--- a/src/file_storage.cpp
+++ b/src/file_storage.cpp
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 	void file_storage::add_file(file_entry const& fe, char const* filehash)
 	{
-		int flags = 0;
+		std::uint32_t flags = 0;
 		if (fe.pad_file) flags |= file_storage::flag_pad_file;
 		if (fe.hidden_attribute) flags |= file_storage::flag_hidden;
 		if (fe.executable_attribute) flags |= file_storage::flag_executable;
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	}
 
 	void file_storage::add_file(std::wstring const& file, std::int64_t file_size
-		, int file_flags, std::time_t mtime, string_view symlink_path)
+		, std::uint32_t file_flags, std::time_t mtime, string_view symlink_path)
 	{
 		add_file(wchar_utf8(file), file_size, file_flags, mtime, symlink_path);
 	}
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	}
 
 	void file_storage::add_file(std::string const& path, std::int64_t file_size
-		, int file_flags, std::time_t mtime, string_view symlink_path)
+		, std::uint32_t file_flags, std::time_t mtime, string_view symlink_path)
 	{
 		add_file_borrow(nullptr, 0, path, file_size, file_flags, nullptr, mtime
 			, symlink_path);
@@ -813,14 +813,14 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		return m_files[index].offset;
 	}
 
-	int file_storage::file_flags(file_index_t const index) const
+	std::uint32_t file_storage::file_flags(file_index_t const index) const
 	{
 		TORRENT_ASSERT_PRECOND(index >= file_index_t(0) && index < end_file());
 		internal_file_entry const& fe = m_files[index];
-		return (fe.pad_file ? flag_pad_file : 0)
-			| (fe.hidden_attribute ? flag_hidden : 0)
-			| (fe.executable_attribute ? flag_executable : 0)
-			| (fe.symlink_attribute ? flag_symlink : 0);
+		return (fe.pad_file ? flag_pad_file : 0u)
+			| (fe.hidden_attribute ? flag_hidden : 0u)
+			| (fe.executable_attribute ? flag_executable : 0u)
+			| (fe.symlink_attribute ? flag_symlink : 0u);
 	}
 
 	bool file_storage::file_absolute_path(file_index_t const index) const