diff --git a/deps/cares/include/ares_build.h b/deps/cares/include/ares_build.h
index f94bb2962a..f5535b3849 100644
--- a/deps/cares/include/ares_build.h
+++ b/deps/cares/include/ares_build.h
@@ -194,14 +194,16 @@
 /* Data type definition of ares_ssize_t. */
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #  ifdef _WIN64
-#    define CARES_TYPEOF_ARES_SSIZE_T __int64
+     typedef __int64 ares_ssize_t;
 #  else
-#    define CARES_TYPEOF_ARES_SSIZE_T long
+     typedef long ares_ssize_t;
 #  endif
 #else
-#  define CARES_TYPEOF_ARES_SSIZE_T ssize_t;
+#  ifdef CARES_TYPEOF_ARES_SSIZE_T
+     typedef CARES_TYPEOF_ARES_SSIZE_T ares_ssize_t;
+#  else
+     typedef ssize_t ares_ssize_t;
+#  endif
 #endif
 
-typedef CARES_TYPEOF_ARES_SSIZE_T ares_ssize_t;
-
 #endif /* __CARES_BUILD_H */