diff --git a/lib/mes/ntoab.c b/lib/mes/ntoab.c
index 4b305925..548e45eb 100644
--- a/lib/mes/ntoab.c
+++ b/lib/mes/ntoab.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ ntoab (long x, int base, int signed_p)
 #if __MESC__
       u = __mesabi_uldiv(u, (unsigned long) base, &i);
 #else
-      i = i % base;
+      i = u % base;
       u = u / base;
 #endif
       *p-- = i > 9 ? 'a' + i - 10 : '0' + i;