diff --git a/lib/libvfio-user.c b/lib/libvfio-user.c
index 8cf37f1c..6e6715e1 100644
--- a/lib/libvfio-user.c
+++ b/lib/libvfio-user.c
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ prepare_ctx(vfu_ctx_t *vfu_ctx)
     uint32_t max_ivs = 0, i;
     size_t size;
 
-    if (vfu_ctx->ready != 0) {
+    if (vfu_ctx->ready) {
         return 0;
     }
 
@@ -1165,7 +1165,7 @@ prepare_ctx(vfu_ctx_t *vfu_ctx)
         vfu_ctx->pci_config_space->hdr.sts.cl = 0x1;
         vfu_ctx->pci_config_space->hdr.cap = PCI_STD_HEADER_SIZEOF;
     }
-    vfu_ctx->ready = 1;
+    vfu_ctx->ready = true;
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ vfu_ctx_poll(vfu_ctx_t *vfu_ctx)
         return -ENOTSUP;
     }
 
-    assert(vfu_ctx->ready == 1);
+    assert(vfu_ctx->ready);
     err = process_request(vfu_ctx);
 
     return err >= 0 ? 0 : err;
diff --git a/lib/private.h b/lib/private.h
index 9768730d..3fbff946 100644
--- a/lib/private.h
+++ b/lib/private.h
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ struct vfu_ctx {
 
     uint32_t                irq_count[VFU_DEV_NUM_IRQS];
     vfu_irqs_t              *irqs;
-    int                     ready;
+    bool                    ready;
     vfu_dev_type_t          dev_type;
     vfu_pci_type_t          pci_type;
 };