diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/attr_composer.h b/include/spdlog/details/attr_composer.h
index 51a320ad..ddb99a7f 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/attr_composer.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/attr_composer.h
@@ -53,16 +53,16 @@ inline void scramble(std::string& dst, string_view_t s)
         default:
             if (c <= '\x0f') {
                 char buf[] = "\\u0000";
-                buf[5] = (unsigned char)(buf[5] + c);
+                buf[5] = (char)(buf[5] + c);
                 if (c >= '\x0a')
-                    buf[5] = (unsigned char)(buf[5] + ('a' - ':'));
+                    buf[5] = (char)(buf[5] + ('a' - ':'));
                 replace(buf);
             }
             else if (c <= '\x1f' || c == 0x7f) {
                 char buf[] = "\\u0010";
-                buf[5] = (unsigned char)(buf[5] + (c - 16));
+                buf[5] = (char)(buf[5] + (c - 16));
                 if (c >= '\x1a')
-                    buf[5] = (unsigned char)(buf[5] + ('a' - ':'));
+                    buf[5] = (char)(buf[5] + ('a' - ':'));
                 replace(buf);
             }
             else