diff --git a/doc/configuration.txt b/doc/configuration.txt
index 5cfdb2ee3..9f38da615 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.txt
+++ b/doc/configuration.txt
@@ -4101,8 +4101,8 @@ tune.rcvbuf.frontend <number>
   counter parts, as well as "tune.sndbuf.backend" and "tune.sndbuf.frontend"
   for the send setting.
 
-tune.rcvbuf.client <number>
-tune.rcvbuf.server <number>
+tune.rcvbuf.client <size>
+tune.rcvbuf.server <size>
   Forces the kernel socket receive buffer size on the client or the server side
   to the specified value in bytes. This value applies to all TCP/HTTP frontends
   and backends. It should normally never be set, and the default size (0) lets
@@ -4164,8 +4164,8 @@ tune.sndbuf.frontend <number>
   "tune.sndbuf.server" for their connected socket counter parts, as well as
   "tune.rcvbuf.backend" and "tune.rcvbuf.frontend" for the receive setting.
 
-tune.sndbuf.client <number>
-tune.sndbuf.server <number>
+tune.sndbuf.client <size>
+tune.sndbuf.server <size>
   Forces the kernel socket send buffer size on the client or the server side to
   the specified value in bytes. This value applies to all TCP/HTTP frontends
   and backends. It should normally never be set, and the default size (0) lets
diff --git a/include/haproxy/global-t.h b/include/haproxy/global-t.h
index 4e41860ef..3cf3f09a7 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/global-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/global-t.h
@@ -170,10 +170,10 @@ struct global {
 		int maxrewrite;    /* buffer max rewrite size in bytes, defaults to MAXREWRITE */
 		int reserved_bufs; /* how many buffers can only be allocated for response */
 		int buf_limit;     /* if not null, how many total buffers may only be allocated */
-		int client_sndbuf; /* set client sndbuf to this value if not null */
-		int client_rcvbuf; /* set client rcvbuf to this value if not null */
-		int server_sndbuf; /* set server sndbuf to this value if not null */
-		int server_rcvbuf; /* set server rcvbuf to this value if not null */
+		uint client_sndbuf;   /* set client sndbuf to this value if not null */
+		uint client_rcvbuf;   /* set client rcvbuf to this value if not null */
+		uint server_sndbuf;   /* set server sndbuf to this value if not null */
+		uint server_rcvbuf;   /* set server rcvbuf to this value if not null */
 		int frontend_sndbuf; /* set frontend dgram sndbuf to this value if not null */
 		int frontend_rcvbuf; /* set frontend dgram rcvbuf to this value if not null */
 		int backend_sndbuf;  /* set backend dgram sndbuf to this value if not null */
diff --git a/src/cfgparse-global.c b/src/cfgparse-global.c
index 93ed45217..77f2e0f61 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse-global.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse-global.c
@@ -1121,6 +1121,7 @@ static int cfg_parse_global_tune_opts(char **args, int section_type,
 				      struct proxy *curpx, const struct proxy *defpx,
 				      const char *file, int line, char **err)
 {
+	const char *res;
 
 	if (too_many_args(1, args, err, NULL))
 		return -1;
@@ -1212,8 +1213,6 @@ static int cfg_parse_global_tune_opts(char **args, int section_type,
 	}
 	else if (strcmp(args[0], "tune.idletimer") == 0) {
 		unsigned int idle;
-		const char *res;
-
 
 		if (*(args[1]) == 0) {
 			memprintf(err, "'%s' expects a timer value between 0 and 65535 ms.", args[0]);
@@ -1253,7 +1252,9 @@ static int cfg_parse_global_tune_opts(char **args, int section_type,
 			memprintf(err, "'%s' expects an integer argument.", args[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
-		global.tune.client_rcvbuf = atol(args[1]);
+		res = parse_size_err(args[1], &global.tune.client_rcvbuf);
+		if (res != NULL)
+			goto size_err;
 
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -1266,7 +1267,9 @@ static int cfg_parse_global_tune_opts(char **args, int section_type,
 			memprintf(err, "'%s' expects an integer argument.", args[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
-		global.tune.server_rcvbuf = atol(args[1]);
+		res = parse_size_err(args[1], &global.tune.server_rcvbuf);
+		if (res != NULL)
+			goto size_err;
 
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -1279,7 +1282,9 @@ static int cfg_parse_global_tune_opts(char **args, int section_type,
 			memprintf(err, "'%s' expects an integer argument.", args[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
-		global.tune.client_sndbuf = atol(args[1]);
+		res = parse_size_err(args[1], &global.tune.client_sndbuf);
+		if (res != NULL)
+			goto size_err;
 
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -1292,7 +1297,9 @@ static int cfg_parse_global_tune_opts(char **args, int section_type,
 			memprintf(err, "'%s' expects an integer argument.", args[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
-		global.tune.server_sndbuf = atol(args[1]);
+		res = parse_size_err(args[1], &global.tune.server_sndbuf);
+		if (res != NULL)
+			goto size_err;
 
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -1366,6 +1373,11 @@ static int cfg_parse_global_tune_opts(char **args, int section_type,
 	}
 
 	return 0;
+
+ size_err:
+	memprintf(err, "unexpected '%s' after size passed to '%s'", res, args[0]);
+	return -1;
+
 }
 
 static int cfg_parse_global_tune_forward_opts(char **args, int section_type,