diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/counted-loops.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/counted-loops.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5cd5dd241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/counted-loops.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import type { IntegerCountedForLoop } from "../../ir/integer-loops.js";
+import { F64, type IrExpr } from "../../ir/ir.js";
+import type { IntegerRange } from "../../ir/integer-ranges.js";
+import { BlockBuilder } from "./blocks.js";
+import { emitCountedLoopLimit } from "./counted-loops.js";
+import type { LlValue, LlvmEmitterContext } from "./expr-context.js";
+
+const loc = { file: "test.ts", start: 0, end: 0 };
+
+/** The endpoint emitCountedLoopLimit answers for a limit that emits as
+ * `value` and has the proven `range`, and the lines it writes. */
+function endpoint(
+  value: LlValue,
+  range: IntegerRange,
+  step: number,
+  inclusive: boolean,
+): { endpoint: string; lines: string } {
+  const limit: IrExpr = { loc, kind: "varRef", localId: "n", type: F64 };
+  const B = new BlockBuilder();
+  const host = {
+    B,
+    integerRanges: new Map([[limit, range]]),
+    emitExpr: () => value,
+    declare: () => {},
+  } as unknown as LlvmEmitterContext;
+  const loop = { step, inclusive, limit } as unknown as IntegerCountedForLoop;
+  const result = emitCountedLoopLimit(host, loop);
+  return { endpoint: result, lines: B.render() };
+}
+
+test("a negative int32 limit whose ToUint32 view is a literal keeps its sign", () => {
+  // A number literal's value carries its ToUint32 bits as a literal, so -1
+  // has the view 4294967295; the endpoint is -1, as in `i > -1`.
+  const minusOne: LlValue = { name: "-1.0", type: F64, uint32: "4294967295" };
+  expect(endpoint(minusOne, { min: -1, max: -1 }, -1, false).endpoint).toBe("-1");
+  const inclusive = endpoint(minusOne, { min: -1, max: -1 }, -1, true);
+  expect(inclusive.lines).toContain("add nsw i64 -1, -1");
+  const minusTwo: LlValue = { name: "-2.0", type: F64, uint32: "4294967294" };
+  expect(endpoint(minusTwo, { min: -2, max: -2 }, 1, false).endpoint).toBe("-2");
+  // A uint32 past int32 stays positive.
+  const wide: LlValue = { name: "4294967295.0", type: F64, uint32: "4294967295" };
+  expect(endpoint(wide, { min: 4294967295, max: 4294967295 }, 1, false).endpoint).toBe(
+    "4294967295",
+  );
+});
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/counted-loops.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/counted-loops.ts
index 5d21e56f7e..454fea32a2 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/counted-loops.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/counted-loops.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,17 @@ export function emitCountedLoopLimit(
   const value = host.emitExpr(loop.limit);
   const exact = exactInteger(host, value, loop.limit);
   if (exact) {
-    const integer = /^-?\d+$/.test(exact.name) ? exact.name : widenInteger(host, exact);
+    // An i32 literal may be the unsigned bit pattern of a negative int32
+    // (a ToUint32 view): read it back with the integer's signedness.
+    const integer = /^-?\d+$/.test(exact.name)
+      ? String(
+          exact.type === "i64"
+            ? Number(exact.name)
+            : exact.signed
+              ? Number(exact.name) | 0
+              : Number(exact.name) >>> 0,
+        )
+      : widenInteger(host, exact);
     if (!loop.inclusive) return integer;
     const limit = B.tmp();
     B.line(`${limit} = add nsw i64 ${integer}, ${ascending ? 1 : -1}`);