diff --git a/functional/lcow_test.go b/functional/lcow_test.go
index 9b3b0c94df..f639bdaa44 100644
--- a/functional/lcow_test.go
+++ b/functional/lcow_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 // TestLCOWUVMNoSCSINoVPMemInitrd starts an LCOW utility VM without a SCSI controller and
 // no VPMem device. Uses initrd.
 func TestLCOWUVMNoSCSINoVPMemInitrd(t *testing.T) {
-	scsiCount := 0
+	var scsiCount uint32 = 0
 	var vpmemCount uint32 = 0
 	opts := &uvm.UVMOptions{
 		OperatingSystem:     "linux",
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TestLCOWUVMNoSCSINoVPMemInitrd(t *testing.T) {
 // TestLCOWUVMNoSCSISingleVPMemVHD starts an LCOW utility VM without a SCSI controller and
 // only a single VPMem device. Uses VPMEM VHD
 func TestLCOWUVMNoSCSISingleVPMemVHD(t *testing.T) {
-	scsiCount := 0
+	var scsiCount uint32 = 0
 	var vpmemCount uint32 = 1
 	var prfst uvm.PreferredRootFSType = uvm.PreferredRootFSTypeVHD
 	opts := &uvm.UVMOptions{
diff --git a/internal/uvm/create.go b/internal/uvm/create.go
index d8650585b2..e3bc524876 100644
--- a/internal/uvm/create.go
+++ b/internal/uvm/create.go
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ type UVMOptions struct {
 	LayerFolders []string // Set of folders for base layers and scratch. Ordered from top most read-only through base read-only layer, followed by scratch
 
 	// LCOW specific parameters
-	BootFilesPath         string // Folder in which kernel and root file system reside. Defaults to \Program Files\Linux Containers
-	KernelFile            string // Filename under BootFilesPath for the kernel. Defaults to `kernel`
-	RootFSFile            string // Filename under BootFilesPath for the UVMs root file system. Defaults are `initrd.img` or `rootfs.vhd`.
-	KernelBootOptions     string // Additional boot options for the kernel
-	EnableGraphicsConsole bool   // If true, enable a graphics console for the utility VM
-	ConsolePipe           string // The named pipe path to use for the serial console.  eg \\.\pipe\vmpipe
-	SCSIControllerCount   *int   // The number of SCSI controllers. Defaults to 1 if omitted. Currently we only support 0 or 1.
+	BootFilesPath         string  // Folder in which kernel and root file system reside. Defaults to \Program Files\Linux Containers
+	KernelFile            string  // Filename under BootFilesPath for the kernel. Defaults to `kernel`
+	RootFSFile            string  // Filename under BootFilesPath for the UVMs root file system. Defaults are `initrd.img` or `rootfs.vhd`.
+	KernelBootOptions     string  // Additional boot options for the kernel
+	EnableGraphicsConsole bool    // If true, enable a graphics console for the utility VM
+	ConsolePipe           string  // The named pipe path to use for the serial console.  eg \\.\pipe\vmpipe
+	SCSIControllerCount   *uint32 // The number of SCSI controllers. Defaults to 1 if omitted. Currently we only support 0 or 1.
 
 	// Fields that can be configured via OCI annotations in runhcs.
 
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func Create(opts *UVMOptions) (_ *UtilityVM, err error) {
 		scsi["0"] = hcsschema.Scsi{Attachments: attachments}
 		uvm.scsiControllerCount = 1
 		if opts.SCSIControllerCount != nil {
-			if *opts.SCSIControllerCount < 0 || *opts.SCSIControllerCount > 1 {
+			if *opts.SCSIControllerCount > 1 {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("SCSI controller count must be 0 or 1") // Future extension here for up to 4
 			}
 			uvm.scsiControllerCount = *opts.SCSIControllerCount
diff --git a/internal/uvm/types.go b/internal/uvm/types.go
index ef1749eb3a..c0e9a44065 100644
--- a/internal/uvm/types.go
+++ b/internal/uvm/types.go
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ type UtilityVM struct {
 
 	// SCSI devices that are mapped into a Windows or Linux utility VM
 	scsiLocations       [4][64]scsiInfo // Hyper-V supports 4 controllers, 64 slots per controller. Limited to 1 controller for now though.
-	scsiControllerCount int             // Number of SCSI controllers in the utility VM
+	scsiControllerCount uint32          // Number of SCSI controllers in the utility VM
 
 	// Plan9 are directories mapped into a Linux utility VM
 	plan9Shares  map[string]*plan9Info