diff --git a/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeSendThread.cpp b/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeSendThread.cpp
index 0c99e94c04..498ddb9e2c 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeSendThread.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeSendThread.cpp
@@ -140,10 +140,11 @@ int OctreeSendThread::handlePacketSend(const SharedNodePointer& node, OctreeQuer
     if (nodeData->stats.isReadyToSend()) {
         // Send the stats message to the client
         unsigned char* statsMessage = nodeData->stats.getStatsMessage();
-        unsigned int statsMessageLength = nodeData->stats.getStatsMessageLength();
+        int statsMessageLength = nodeData->stats.getStatsMessageLength();
+        int piggyBackSize = nodeData->getPacketLength() + statsMessageLength;
 
         // If the size of the stats message and the voxel message will fit in a packet, then piggyback them
-        if (nodeData->getPacketLength() + statsMessageLength < MAX_PACKET_SIZE) {
+        if (piggyBackSize < MAX_PACKET_SIZE) {
 
             // copy voxel message to back of stats message
             memcpy(statsMessage + statsMessageLength, nodeData->getPacket(), nodeData->getPacketLength());