diff --git a/core/src/display_object/movie_clip.rs b/core/src/display_object/movie_clip.rs
index 3b93d522d..524409c6d 100644
--- a/core/src/display_object/movie_clip.rs
+++ b/core/src/display_object/movie_clip.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ use std::cell::Ref;
 use std::collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap};
 use swf::read::SwfRead;
 
-type Depth = i16;
 type FrameNumber = u16;
 
 /// A movie clip is a display object with its own timeline that runs independently of the root timeline.
diff --git a/swf/src/read.rs b/swf/src/read.rs
index 1020822e5..a5c739c29 100644
--- a/swf/src/read.rs
+++ b/swf/src/read.rs
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ impl<R: Read> Reader<R> {
             },
 
             Some(TagCode::SetTabIndex) => Tag::SetTabIndex {
-                depth: tag_reader.read_i16()?,
+                depth: tag_reader.read_u16()?,
                 tab_index: tag_reader.read_u16()?,
             },
 
@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@ impl<R: Read> Reader<R> {
             states.insert(ButtonState::HitTest);
         }
         let id = self.read_u16()?;
-        let depth = self.read_i16()?;
+        let depth = self.read_u16()?;
         let matrix = self.read_matrix()?;
         let color_transform = if version >= 2 {
             self.read_color_transform()?
@@ -2056,7 +2056,7 @@ impl<R: Read> Reader<R> {
         Ok(PlaceObject {
             version: 1,
             action: PlaceObjectAction::Place(reader.read_u16()?),
-            depth: reader.read_i16()?,
+            depth: reader.read_u16()?,
             matrix: Some(reader.read_matrix()?),
             color_transform: if !reader.get_ref().is_empty() {
                 Some(reader.read_color_transform_no_alpha()?)
@@ -2085,7 +2085,7 @@ impl<R: Read> Reader<R> {
             u16::from(self.read_u8()?)
         };
 
-        let depth = self.read_i16()?;
+        let depth = self.read_u16()?;
 
         // PlaceObject3
         let is_image = (flags & 0b10000_00000000) != 0;
@@ -2128,7 +2128,7 @@ impl<R: Read> Reader<R> {
             None
         };
         let clip_depth = if (flags & 0b100_0000) != 0 {
-            Some(self.read_i16()?)
+            Some(self.read_u16()?)
         } else {
             None
         };
@@ -2190,13 +2190,13 @@ impl<R: Read> Reader<R> {
     pub fn read_remove_object_1(&mut self) -> Result<RemoveObject> {
         Ok(RemoveObject {
             character_id: Some(self.read_u16()?),
-            depth: self.read_i16()?,
+            depth: self.read_u16()?,
         })
     }
 
     pub fn read_remove_object_2(&mut self) -> Result<RemoveObject> {
         Ok(RemoveObject {
-            depth: self.read_i16()?,
+            depth: self.read_u16()?,
             character_id: None,
         })
     }
diff --git a/swf/src/types.rs b/swf/src/types.rs
index 23f42207b..4f19bfea8 100644
--- a/swf/src/types.rs
+++ b/swf/src/types.rs
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ pub struct FrameLabelData {
     pub label: String,
 }
 
-pub type Depth = i16;
+pub type Depth = u16;
 pub type CharacterId = u16;
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
diff --git a/swf/src/write.rs b/swf/src/write.rs
index 5ea03200c..67664c4b8 100644
--- a/swf/src/write.rs
+++ b/swf/src/write.rs
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
 
             Tag::SetTabIndex { depth, tab_index } => {
                 self.write_tag_header(TagCode::SetTabIndex, 4)?;
-                self.write_i16(depth)?;
+                self.write_u16(depth)?;
                 self.write_u16(tab_index)?;
             }
 
@@ -921,7 +921,7 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
                 } else {
                     self.write_tag_header(TagCode::RemoveObject2, 2)?;
                 }
-                self.write_i16(remove_object.depth)?;
+                self.write_u16(remove_object.depth)?;
             }
 
             Tag::SoundStreamBlock(ref data) => {
@@ -1606,7 +1606,7 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
         };
         self.write_u8(flags)?;
         self.write_u16(record.id)?;
-        self.write_i16(record.depth)?;
+        self.write_u16(record.depth)?;
         self.write_matrix(&record.matrix)?;
         if tag_version >= 2 {
             self.write_color_transform(&record.color_transform)?;
@@ -1910,7 +1910,7 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
                     "PlaceObject version 1 can only use a Place action.",
                 ));
             }
-            writer.write_i16(place_object.depth)?;
+            writer.write_u16(place_object.depth)?;
             if let Some(ref matrix) = place_object.matrix {
                 writer.write_matrix(matrix)?;
             } else {
@@ -1998,7 +1998,7 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
                         },
                 )?;
             }
-            writer.write_i16(place_object.depth)?;
+            writer.write_u16(place_object.depth)?;
 
             if place_object_version >= 3 {
                 if let Some(ref class_name) = place_object.class_name {
@@ -2024,7 +2024,7 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
                 writer.write_c_string(name)?;
             };
             if let Some(clip_depth) = place_object.clip_depth {
-                writer.write_i16(clip_depth)?;
+                writer.write_u16(clip_depth)?;
             }
 
             if place_object_version >= 3 {