diff --git a/drivers/include/jc42.h b/drivers/include/jc42.h
index b4f6f487b5..a11384b3a9 100644
--- a/drivers/include/jc42.h
+++ b/drivers/include/jc42.h
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ int jc42_set_config(jc42_t* dev, uint16_t data);
  * @return                   0 on success
  * @return                  -1 on error
  */
-int jc42_get_temperature(jc42_t* dev, uint16_t* temperature);
+int jc42_get_temperature(jc42_t* dev, int16_t* temperature);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/drivers/jc42/jc42.c b/drivers/jc42/jc42.c
index 67b64d326d..92b61acd5b 100644
--- a/drivers/jc42/jc42.c
+++ b/drivers/jc42/jc42.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ int jc42_set_config(jc42_t* dev, uint16_t data)
     return jc42_set_register(dev, JC42_REG_CONFIG, &data);
 }
 
-int jc42_get_temperature(jc42_t* dev, uint16_t* temperature)
+int jc42_get_temperature(jc42_t* dev, int16_t* temperature)
 {
     struct { signed int x:12;} s;
     uint16_t tmp;
diff --git a/drivers/jc42/jc42_saul.c b/drivers/jc42/jc42_saul.c
index a66bb19f2c..a0cebdb7e9 100644
--- a/drivers/jc42/jc42_saul.c
+++ b/drivers/jc42/jc42_saul.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 static int read_temperature(void *dev, phydat_t *res)
 {
-    uint16_t temperature;
+    int16_t temperature;
     jc42_t *d = (jc42_t *)dev;
 
     jc42_get_temperature(d, &temperature);