diff --git a/Python/compile.c b/Python/compile.c
index 23047fd8315..373440e2172 100644
--- a/Python/compile.c
+++ b/Python/compile.c
@@ -2923,7 +2923,7 @@ compiler_visit_expr(struct compiler *c, expr_ty e)
 		return compiler_ifexp(c, e);
 	case Dict_kind:
 		n = asdl_seq_LEN(e->v.Dict.values);
-		ADDOP_I(c, BUILD_MAP, (n>255 ? 255 : n));
+		ADDOP_I(c, BUILD_MAP, (n>0xFFFF ? 0xFFFF : n));
 		for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 			VISIT(c, expr, 
 				(expr_ty)asdl_seq_GET(e->v.Dict.values, i));