diff --git a/PWGHF/Utils/utilsEvSelHf.h b/PWGHF/Utils/utilsEvSelHf.h
index 238261b525c..399bccd4c88 100644
--- a/PWGHF/Utils/utilsEvSelHf.h
+++ b/PWGHF/Utils/utilsEvSelHf.h
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ struct HfEventSelectionMc {
   /// \param mcCollision MC collision to test against the selection criteria
   /// \return a bitmask with the event selections not satisfied by the analysed collision
   template <typename TBc, typename TMcColl>
-  uint8_t getHfMcCollisionRejectionMask(TMcColl const& mcCollision)
+  uint16_t getHfMcCollisionRejectionMask(TMcColl const& mcCollision)
   {
     uint16_t rejectionMask{0};
     float zPv = mcCollision.posZ();