diff --git a/src/comp/util/bits.rs b/src/comp/util/bits.rs
index fd45601739d..1208f1f7560 100644
--- a/src/comp/util/bits.rs
+++ b/src/comp/util/bits.rs
@@ -9,18 +9,9 @@ import std._vec;
 
 state type t = rec(vec[mutable uint] storage, uint nbits);
 
-// FIXME: we should bind std.max_int
-fn is32bit() -> bool {
-    let uint n = 0xffffffffu;
-    ret (n + 1u) == 0u;
-}
-
+// FIXME: this should be a constant once they work
 fn uint_bits() -> uint {
-    if (is32bit()) {
-        ret 31u;
-    } else {
-        ret 63u;
-    }
+    ret 32u + ((1u << 32u) >> 27u) - 1u;
 }
 
 // FIXME: this should be state
@@ -36,8 +27,6 @@ fn create(uint nbits, bool init) -> t {
             nbits = nbits);
 }
 
-
-
 // FIXME: this should be state
 fn process(fn(uint, uint) -> uint op, t v0, t v1) -> bool {
     auto len = _vec.len[mutable uint](v1.storage);