diff --git a/bsps/riscv/niosv/flash/altera_epcq_driver.c b/bsps/riscv/niosv/flash/altera_epcq_driver.c
index 0ebde57f03..ba019d95fb 100644
--- a/bsps/riscv/niosv/flash/altera_epcq_driver.c
+++ b/bsps/riscv/niosv/flash/altera_epcq_driver.c
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ static int alt_epcq_poll_for_write_in_progress (
   /* we'll want to implement timeout if a timeout value is specified */
 #if ALTERA_EPCQ_CONTROLLER2_1US_TIMEOUT_VALUE > 0
   uint32_t timeout = ALTERA_EPCQ_CONTROLLER2_1US_TIMEOUT_VALUE;
-  uint16_t counter = 0;
+  uint32_t counter = 0;
 #endif
 
   /* return -EINVAL if epcq_flash_info is NULL */