diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index acbf8416a..b3393ea0c 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+	* fix per-torrent rate limits for >256 peer classes
 	* don't load user_agent and peer_fingerprint from session_state
 	* fix file rename issue with name prefix matching torrent name
 	* fix division by zero when setting tick_interval > 1000
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/peer_class.hpp b/include/libtorrent/peer_class.hpp
index a7bc61cc1..f11f412b0 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/peer_class.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/peer_class.hpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 namespace libtorrent
 {
-	typedef boost::uint8_t peer_class_t;
+	typedef boost::uint32_t peer_class_t;
 
 	struct peer_class_info
 	{
diff --git a/src/peer_class.cpp b/src/peer_class.cpp
index 9a1dd9f7d..945ab641a 100644
--- a/src/peer_class.cpp
+++ b/src/peer_class.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		}
 		else
 		{
+			TORRENT_ASSERT(m_peer_classes.size() < 0x100000000);
 			ret = m_peer_classes.size();
 			m_peer_classes.push_back(boost::shared_ptr<peer_class>());
 		}