diff --git a/example/issues.cpp b/example/issues.cpp
index dfe20fff8..d75da1cef 100644
--- a/example/issues.cpp
+++ b/example/issues.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ void init_issues(py::module &m) {
     try {
         py::class_<Placeholder>(m2, "Placeholder");
         throw std::logic_error("Expected an exception!");
-    } catch (std::runtime_error &e) {
+    } catch (std::runtime_error &) {
         /* All good */
     }
 }
diff --git a/include/pybind11/descr.h b/include/pybind11/descr.h
index 1b65f68c8..6c1d86432 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/descr.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/descr.h
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ protected:
         const T *it = ptr;
         while (*it++ != (T) 0)
             ;
-        return it - ptr;
+        return static_cast<size_t>(it - ptr);
     }
 
     const std::type_info **m_types = nullptr;