diff --git a/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_mips.cc b/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_mips.cc
index 9d0826f..8517711 100644
--- a/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_mips.cc
+++ b/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_mips.cc
@@ -1983,7 +1983,7 @@
 
 void InstructionCodeGeneratorMIPS::GenerateClassInitializationCheck(SlowPathCodeMIPS* slow_path,
                                                                     Register class_reg) {
-  __ LoadFromOffset(kLoadWord, TMP, class_reg, mirror::Class::StatusOffset().Int32Value());
+  __ LoadFromOffset(kLoadSignedByte, TMP, class_reg, mirror::Class::StatusOffset().Int32Value());
   __ LoadConst32(AT, mirror::Class::kStatusInitialized);
   __ Blt(TMP, AT, slow_path->GetEntryLabel());
   // Even if the initialized flag is set, we need to ensure consistent memory ordering.