diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/IOstreams/token/token.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/IOstreams/token/token.H
index adedf2ccbb..98fc51f413 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/IOstreams/token/token.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/IOstreams/token/token.H
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public:
     {
         UNDEFINED      = 0,
 
-        PUNCTUATION    = -127,
+        PUNCTUATION    = char(128),
         WORD,
         VARIABLE,
         STRING,