diff --git a/rlp/decode.go b/rlp/decode.go
index 7acbbfa0d2..31485ee707 100644
--- a/rlp/decode.go
+++ b/rlp/decode.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ type Decoder interface {
 // To decode into a Go string, the input must be an RLP string. The
 // bytes are taken as-is and will not necessarily be valid UTF-8.
 //
-// To decode into an integer type, the input must also be an RLP
+// To decode into an unsigned integer type, the input must also be an RLP
 // string. The bytes are interpreted as a big endian representation of
 // the integer. If the RLP string is larger than the bit size of the
 // type, Decode will return an error. Decode also supports *big.Int.
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ type Decoder interface {
 //	[]interface{}, for RLP lists
 //	[]byte, for RLP strings
 //
-// Non-empty interface types are not supported, nor are bool, float32,
-// float64, maps, channel types and functions.
+// Non-empty interface types are not supported, nor are booleans,
+// signed integers, floating point numbers, maps, channels and
+// functions.
 func Decode(r io.Reader, val interface{}) error {
 	return NewStream(r).Decode(val)
 }
@@ -97,8 +98,8 @@ func makeDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (dec decoder, err error) {
 		return decodeBigInt, nil
 	case typ.AssignableTo(bigInt):
 		return decodeBigIntNoPtr, nil
-	case isInteger(kind):
-		return makeNumDecoder(typ), nil
+	case isUint(kind):
+		return decodeUint, nil
 	case kind == reflect.String:
 		return decodeString, nil
 	case kind == reflect.Slice || kind == reflect.Array:
@@ -114,30 +115,6 @@ func makeDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (dec decoder, err error) {
 	}
 }
 
-func makeNumDecoder(typ reflect.Type) decoder {
-	kind := typ.Kind()
-	switch {
-	case kind <= reflect.Int64:
-		return decodeInt
-	case kind <= reflect.Uint64:
-		return decodeUint
-	default:
-		panic("fallthrough")
-	}
-}
-
-func decodeInt(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
-	typ := val.Type()
-	num, err := s.uint(typ.Bits())
-	if err == errUintOverflow {
-		return decodeError{"input string too long", typ}
-	} else if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	val.SetInt(int64(num))
-	return nil
-}
-
 func decodeUint(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
 	typ := val.Type()
 	num, err := s.uint(typ.Bits())
diff --git a/rlp/decode_test.go b/rlp/decode_test.go
index 3b60234dd9..4c030e24d2 100644
--- a/rlp/decode_test.go
+++ b/rlp/decode_test.go
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ func TestDecodeErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Decode(r, new(chan bool)) error mismatch, got %q, want %q", err, expectErr)
 	}
 
-	if err := Decode(r, new(int)); err != io.EOF {
+	if err := Decode(r, new(uint)); err != io.EOF {
 		t.Errorf("Decode(r, new(int)) error mismatch, got %q, want %q", err, io.EOF)
 	}
 }
@@ -184,12 +184,12 @@ type decodeTest struct {
 }
 
 type simplestruct struct {
-	A int
+	A uint
 	B string
 }
 
 type recstruct struct {
-	I     int
+	I     uint
 	Child *recstruct
 }
 
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ var (
 
 var (
 	sharedByteArray [5]byte
-	sharedPtr       = new(*int)
+	sharedPtr       = new(*uint)
 )
 
 var decodeTests = []decodeTest{
@@ -217,13 +217,13 @@ var decodeTests = []decodeTest{
 	{input: "C0", ptr: new(uint32), error: ErrExpectedString.Error()},
 
 	// slices
-	{input: "C0", ptr: new([]int), value: []int{}},
-	{input: "C80102030405060708", ptr: new([]int), value: []int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new([]uint), value: []uint{}},
+	{input: "C80102030405060708", ptr: new([]uint), value: []uint{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}},
 
 	// arrays
-	{input: "C0", ptr: new([5]int), value: [5]int{}},
-	{input: "C50102030405", ptr: new([5]int), value: [5]int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}},
-	{input: "C6010203040506", ptr: new([5]int), error: "rlp: input list has too many elements for [5]int"},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new([5]uint), value: [5]uint{}},
+	{input: "C50102030405", ptr: new([5]uint), value: [5]uint{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}},
+	{input: "C6010203040506", ptr: new([5]uint), error: "rlp: input list has too many elements for [5]uint"},
 
 	// byte slices
 	{input: "01", ptr: new([]byte), value: []byte{1}},
@@ -280,17 +280,17 @@ var decodeTests = []decodeTest{
 	},
 
 	// pointers
-	{input: "00", ptr: new(*int), value: (*int)(nil)},
-	{input: "80", ptr: new(*int), value: (*int)(nil)},
-	{input: "C0", ptr: new(*int), value: (*int)(nil)},
-	{input: "07", ptr: new(*int), value: intp(7)},
-	{input: "8108", ptr: new(*int), value: intp(8)},
-	{input: "C109", ptr: new(*[]int), value: &[]int{9}},
+	{input: "00", ptr: new(*uint), value: (*uint)(nil)},
+	{input: "80", ptr: new(*uint), value: (*uint)(nil)},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new(*uint), value: (*uint)(nil)},
+	{input: "07", ptr: new(*uint), value: uintp(7)},
+	{input: "8108", ptr: new(*uint), value: uintp(8)},
+	{input: "C109", ptr: new(*[]uint), value: &[]uint{9}},
 	{input: "C58403030303", ptr: new(*[][]byte), value: &[][]byte{{3, 3, 3, 3}}},
 
 	// pointer should be reset to nil
-	{input: "05", ptr: sharedPtr, value: intp(5)},
-	{input: "80", ptr: sharedPtr, value: (*int)(nil)},
+	{input: "05", ptr: sharedPtr, value: uintp(5)},
+	{input: "80", ptr: sharedPtr, value: (*uint)(nil)},
 
 	// interface{}
 	{input: "00", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []byte{0}},
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ var decodeTests = []decodeTest{
 	{input: "C50183040404", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []interface{}{[]byte{1}, []byte{4, 4, 4}}},
 }
 
-func intp(i int) *int { return &i }
+func uintp(i uint) *uint { return &i }
 
 func runTests(t *testing.T, decode func([]byte, interface{}) error) {
 	for i, test := range decodeTests {
@@ -434,8 +434,8 @@ func ExampleDecode() {
 	input, _ := hex.DecodeString("C90A1486666F6F626172")
 
 	type example struct {
-		A, B    int
-		private int // private fields are ignored
+		A, B    uint
+		private uint // private fields are ignored
 		String  string
 	}
 
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ func ExampleDecode() {
 		fmt.Printf("Decoded value: %#v\n", s)
 	}
 	// Output:
-	// Decoded value: rlp.example{A:10, B:20, private:0, String:"foobar"}
+	// Decoded value: rlp.example{A:0xa, B:0x14, private:0x0, String:"foobar"}
 }
 
 func ExampleStream() {
diff --git a/rlp/typecache.go b/rlp/typecache.go
index f2595dac82..52e68a3c53 100644
--- a/rlp/typecache.go
+++ b/rlp/typecache.go
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ func genTypeInfo(typ reflect.Type) (info *typeinfo, err error) {
 	return info, nil
 }
 
-func isInteger(k reflect.Kind) bool {
-	return k >= reflect.Int && k <= reflect.Uintptr
+func isUint(k reflect.Kind) bool {
+	return k >= reflect.Uint && k <= reflect.Uintptr
 }