diff --git a/client/controller.cpp b/client/controller.cpp
index 4352d3f7..eb31bf02 100644
--- a/client/controller.cpp
+++ b/client/controller.cpp
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ bool Controller::sendTimeSyncMessage(long after)
 }
 
 
-void Controller::start(const PcmDevice& pcmDevice, const std::string& host, size_t port, size_t latency)
+void Controller::start(const PcmDevice& pcmDevice, const std::string& host, size_t port, int latency)
 {
 	pcmDevice_ = pcmDevice;
 	latency_ = latency;
diff --git a/client/controller.h b/client/controller.h
index 8680abed..aa3f3007 100644
--- a/client/controller.h
+++ b/client/controller.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class Controller : public MessageReceiver
 {
 public:
 	Controller();
-	void start(const PcmDevice& pcmDevice, const std::string& host, size_t port, size_t latency);
+	void start(const PcmDevice& pcmDevice, const std::string& host, size_t port, int latency);
 	void stop();
 
 	/// Implementation of MessageReceiver.
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ private:
 	std::thread controllerThread_;
 	SampleFormat sampleFormat_;
 	PcmDevice pcmDevice_;
-	size_t latency_;
+	int latency_;
 	std::unique_ptr<ClientConnection> clientConnection_;
 	std::unique_ptr<Stream> stream_;
 	std::unique_ptr<Decoder> decoder_;
diff --git a/client/snapClient.cpp b/client/snapClient.cpp
index 12beab8c..edcbb027 100644
--- a/client/snapClient.cpp
+++ b/client/snapClient.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 		string soundcard("default");
 		string host("");
 		size_t port(1704);
-		size_t latency(0);
+		int latency(0);
 		int processPriority(-3);
 
 		Switch helpSwitch("", "help", "produce help message");
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 		Value<size_t> portValue("p", "port", "server port", 1704, &port);
 		Value<string> soundcardValue("s", "soundcard", "index or name of the soundcard", "default", &soundcard);
 		Implicit<int> daemonOption("d", "daemon", "daemonize, optional process priority [-20..19]", -3, &processPriority);
-		Value<size_t> latencyValue("", "latency", "latency of the soundcard", 0, &latency);
+		Value<int> latencyValue("y", "latency", "latency of the soundcard", 0, &latency);
 
 		OptionParser op("Allowed options");
 		op.add(helpSwitch)