diff --git a/hw/rtl/VX_decode.v b/hw/rtl/VX_decode.v
index d231f501..dd6569d6 100644
--- a/hw/rtl/VX_decode.v
+++ b/hw/rtl/VX_decode.v
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ module VX_decode  #(
             `INST_S: begin 
                 ex_type = `EX_LSU;
                 op_type = `OP_BITS'({1'b1, func3});
-                imm     = {{20{s_imm[6]}}, s_imm};
+                imm     = {{20{s_imm[11]}}, s_imm};
                 `USED_IREG (rs1);
             `ifdef EXT_F_ENABLE
                 if (opcode[2]) begin
diff --git a/hw/rtl/afu/vortex_afu.sv b/hw/rtl/afu/vortex_afu.sv
index 8a995b30..95141aa0 100644
--- a/hw/rtl/afu/vortex_afu.sv
+++ b/hw/rtl/afu/vortex_afu.sv
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ Vortex #() vortex (
 // COUT HANDLING //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 wire [COUT_TID_WIDTH-1:0] cout_tid;
-reg [7:0] cout_char;
+wire [7:0] cout_char;
 
 VX_onehot_encoder #(
   .N (`VX_MEM_BYTEEN_WIDTH)