diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h
index 534f9c12a92..96437e730ae 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class StateMachine : public MemoryPoolObject, public Snapshot
 
 	void Add_Ref() const { m_refCount.Add_Ref(); }
 	void Release_Ref() const { m_refCount.Release_Ref(MemoryPoolObject::deleteInstanceInternal, this); }
-	void Num_Refs() const { m_refCount.Num_Refs(); }
+	UnsignedByte Num_Refs() const { return m_refCount.Num_Refs(); }
 
 	StateID getCurrentStateID() const { return m_currentState ? m_currentState->getID() : INVALID_STATE_ID; }	///< return the id of the current state of the machine
 	Bool isInIdleState() const { return m_currentState ? m_currentState->isIdle() : true; }	// stateless things are considered 'idle'
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h
index d99abfdfa5b..9153dc5cd05 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/StateMachine.h
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class StateMachine : public MemoryPoolObject, public Snapshot
 
 	void Add_Ref() const { m_refCount.Add_Ref(); }
 	void Release_Ref() const { m_refCount.Release_Ref(MemoryPoolObject::deleteInstanceInternal, this); }
-	void Num_Refs() const { m_refCount.Num_Refs(); }
+	UnsignedByte Num_Refs() const { return m_refCount.Num_Refs(); }
 
 	StateID getCurrentStateID() const { return m_currentState ? m_currentState->getID() : INVALID_STATE_ID; }	///< return the id of the current state of the machine
 	Bool isInIdleState() const { return m_currentState ? m_currentState->isIdle() : true; }	// stateless things are considered 'idle'