diff --git a/sstables/partition.cc b/sstables/partition.cc
index 847ba18a7b..d3b2df55aa 100644
--- a/sstables/partition.cc
+++ b/sstables/partition.cc
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ public:
         }
     }
 
-    virtual void consume_cell(bytes_view col_name, bytes_view value, uint64_t timestamp, uint32_t ttl, uint32_t expiration) override {
+    virtual void consume_cell(bytes_view col_name, bytes_view value, int64_t timestamp, int32_t ttl, int32_t expiration) override {
         static bytes cql_row_marker(3, bytes::value_type(0x0));
 
         // The row marker exists mainly so that one can create empty rows. It should not be present
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ public:
         consume_deleted_cell(col, deltime.marked_for_delete_at, gc_clock::time_point(secs));
     }
 
-    void consume_deleted_cell(column &col, uint64_t timestamp, gc_clock::time_point ttl) {
+    void consume_deleted_cell(column &col, int64_t timestamp, gc_clock::time_point ttl) {
         auto ac = atomic_cell::make_dead(timestamp, ttl);
 
         if (col.is_static) {
diff --git a/sstables/row.hh b/sstables/row.hh
index ac1434a9a5..bd75a84fcf 100644
--- a/sstables/row.hh
+++ b/sstables/row.hh
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ public:
     // absolute time (in seconds since the UNIX epoch) when this cell will
     // expire. Typical cells, not set to expire, will get expiration = 0.
     virtual void consume_cell(bytes_view col_name, bytes_view value,
-            uint64_t timestamp,
-            uint32_t ttl, uint32_t expiration) = 0;
+            int64_t timestamp,
+            int32_t ttl, int32_t expiration) = 0;
 
 
     // Consume a deleted cell (i.e., a cell tombstone).
diff --git a/sstables/types.hh b/sstables/types.hh
index f75ad45d58..066070397a 100644
--- a/sstables/types.hh
+++ b/sstables/types.hh
@@ -235,8 +235,8 @@ struct statistics {
 };
 
 struct deletion_time {
-    uint32_t local_deletion_time;
-    uint64_t marked_for_delete_at;
+    int32_t local_deletion_time;
+    int64_t marked_for_delete_at;
 
     template <typename Describer>
     future<> describe_type(Describer f) { return f(local_deletion_time, marked_for_delete_at); }
diff --git a/tests/urchin/sstable_test.cc b/tests/urchin/sstable_test.cc
index 7d33c23d64..6855138809 100644
--- a/tests/urchin/sstable_test.cc
+++ b/tests/urchin/sstable_test.cc
@@ -314,8 +314,8 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(compressed_random_access_read) {
 
 class test_row_consumer : public row_consumer {
 public:
-    const uint64_t desired_timestamp;
-    test_row_consumer(uint64_t t) : desired_timestamp(t) { }
+    const int64_t desired_timestamp;
+    test_row_consumer(int64_t t) : desired_timestamp(t) { }
     int count_row_start = 0;
     int count_cell = 0;
     int count_deleted_cell = 0;
@@ -323,13 +323,13 @@ public:
     int count_row_end = 0;
     virtual void consume_row_start(sstables::key_view key, sstables::deletion_time deltime) override {
         BOOST_REQUIRE(bytes_view(key) == as_bytes("vinna"));
-        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.local_deletion_time == (uint32_t)std::numeric_limits<int32_t>::max());
-        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.marked_for_delete_at == (uint64_t)std::numeric_limits<int64_t>::min());
+        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.local_deletion_time == std::numeric_limits<int32_t>::max());
+        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.marked_for_delete_at == std::numeric_limits<int64_t>::min());
         count_row_start++;
     }
 
     virtual void consume_cell(bytes_view col_name, bytes_view value,
-            uint64_t timestamp, uint32_t ttl, uint32_t expiration) override {
+            int64_t timestamp, int32_t ttl, int32_t expiration) override {
         BOOST_REQUIRE(ttl == 0);
         BOOST_REQUIRE(expiration == 0);
         switch (count_cell) {
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ public:
         count_row_start++;
     }
     virtual void consume_cell(bytes_view col_name, bytes_view value,
-            uint64_t timestamp, uint32_t ttl, uint32_t expiration) override {
+            int64_t timestamp, int32_t ttl, int32_t expiration) override {
         count_cell++;
     }
     virtual void consume_deleted_cell(bytes_view col_name, sstables::deletion_time deltime) override {
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     virtual void consume_cell(bytes_view col_name, bytes_view value,
-            uint64_t timestamp, uint32_t ttl, uint32_t expiration) override {
+            int64_t timestamp, int32_t ttl, int32_t expiration) override {
         switch (count_cell) {
         case 0:
             // The silly "cql row marker" cell
@@ -585,8 +585,8 @@ public:
     virtual void consume_row_start(sstables::key_view key, sstables::deletion_time deltime) override {
         count_row_consumer::consume_row_start(key, deltime);
         BOOST_REQUIRE(bytes_view(key) == as_bytes("nadav"));
-        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.local_deletion_time == (uint32_t)std::numeric_limits<int32_t>::max());
-        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.marked_for_delete_at == (uint64_t)std::numeric_limits<int64_t>::min());
+        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.local_deletion_time == std::numeric_limits<int32_t>::max());
+        BOOST_REQUIRE(deltime.marked_for_delete_at == std::numeric_limits<int64_t>::min());
     }
 
     virtual void consume_deleted_cell(bytes_view col_name, sstables::deletion_time deltime) override {