diff --git a/lib/delphi/src/Thrift.Protocol.Compact.pas b/lib/delphi/src/Thrift.Protocol.Compact.pas
index 61af44d..0355c4e 100644
--- a/lib/delphi/src/Thrift.Protocol.Compact.pas
+++ b/lib/delphi/src/Thrift.Protocol.Compact.pas
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@
 begin
   SetLength( data, 1);
   Transport.ReadAll( data, 0, 1);
-  result := data[0];
+  result := ShortInt(data[0]);
 end;