diff --git a/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.cpp b/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.cpp
index 12121041d..77d060ef4 100644
--- a/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.cpp
+++ b/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.cpp
@@ -63,9 +63,8 @@ void RequestConversationWorker::handleRequestConversation()
     Q_EMIT finished();
 }
 
-size_t RequestConversationWorker::replyForConversation(const QList<ConversationMessage> &conversation, int start, size_t howMany)
+size_t RequestConversationWorker::replyForConversation(const QList<ConversationMessage> &conversation, size_t start, size_t howMany)
 {
-    Q_ASSERT(start >= 0);
     // Messages are sorted in ascending order of keys, meaning the front of the list has the oldest
     // messages (smallest timestamp number)
     // Therefore, return the end of the list first (most recent messages)
diff --git a/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.h b/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.h
index 38443349a..919d41894 100644
--- a/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.h
+++ b/plugins/sms/requestconversationworker.h
@@ -58,5 +58,5 @@ private:
      * @param howMany Maximum number of messages to return
      * $return Number of messages processed
      */
-    size_t replyForConversation(const QList<ConversationMessage> &conversation, int start, size_t howMany);
+    size_t replyForConversation(const QList<ConversationMessage> &conversation, size_t start, size_t howMany);
 };