diff --git a/net_expr.cc b/net_expr.cc
index 2efb91f8f..d71ecb231 100644
--- a/net_expr.cc
+++ b/net_expr.cc
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ NetEBAdd::NetEBAdd(char op, NetExpr*l, NetExpr*r, bool lossless_flag)
       }
 
       unsigned pad_width = lossless_flag? 1 : 0;
+      cast_signed(l->has_sign() && r->has_sign());
 
 	/* Now that we have the operand sizes the way we like, or as
 	   good as we are going to get them, set the size of myself. */
@@ -91,8 +92,6 @@ NetEBAdd::NetEBAdd(char op, NetExpr*l, NetExpr*r, bool lossless_flag)
       } else {
 	    expr_width(l->expr_width() + pad_width);
       }
-
-      cast_signed(l->has_sign() && r->has_sign());
 }
 
 NetEBAdd::~NetEBAdd()
diff --git a/verinum.cc b/verinum.cc
index 44e114731..11d561c1a 100644
--- a/verinum.cc
+++ b/verinum.cc
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ verinum pad_to_width(const verinum&that, unsigned width)
       verinum::V pad = that[that.len()-1];
       if (pad==verinum::V1 && !that.has_sign())
 	    pad = verinum::V0;
-      if (that.has_len()) {
+      if (that.has_len() && !that.has_sign()) {
 	    if (pad==verinum::Vx)
 		  pad = verinum::V0;
 	    if (pad==verinum::Vz)