diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 56407487..7bbe169d 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ procps-3.3.0 --> procps-ng-3.3.1
   * Fixed pgrep crashing
   * vmstat -p <part> finds partitions. Was Debian patch vmstat_part_format
     fixes closed bugs RH#485243 and Debian#588677
+  * watch 8-bit clean, Was Debian patch watch_8bitchar
 
 procps-3.2.8 --> procps-ng-3.3.0
 ------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/watch.c b/watch.c
index 1e050dc6..0b08d0b4 100644
--- a/watch.c
+++ b/watch.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				move(y, x);
 				if (option_differences) {
 					chtype oldch = inch();
-					char oldc = oldch & A_CHARTEXT;
+					unsigned char oldc = oldch & A_CHARTEXT;
 					attr = !first_screen
 					    && ((char)c != oldc
 						||