diff --git a/init/version.c b/init/version.c
index f117921811b4..94c96f6fbfe6 100644
--- a/init/version.c
+++ b/init/version.c
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ static int __init early_hostname(char *arg)
 {
 	size_t bufsize = sizeof(init_uts_ns.name.nodename);
 	size_t maxlen  = bufsize - 1;
-	size_t arglen;
+	ssize_t arglen;
 
-	arglen = strlcpy(init_uts_ns.name.nodename, arg, bufsize);
-	if (arglen > maxlen) {
+	arglen = strscpy(init_uts_ns.name.nodename, arg, bufsize);
+	if (arglen < 0) {
 		pr_warn("hostname parameter exceeds %zd characters and will be truncated",
 			maxlen);
 	}