diff --git a/rtl/win/syswin.inc b/rtl/win/syswin.inc
index 28cd66881f..1e31403614 100644
--- a/rtl/win/syswin.inc
+++ b/rtl/win/syswin.inc
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ begin
   Result:=AnsiString(ParamStrU(l));
 end;
 
-Function ParamStr(l:Longint): string;
+Function ParamStr(l:Longint): shortstring;
 begin
   if (l >= 0) and (l < argc) then
     Result:=argv[l]
diff --git a/rtl/win16/system.pp b/rtl/win16/system.pp
index ea2caaf300..c4e21fe43c 100644
--- a/rtl/win16/system.pp
+++ b/rtl/win16/system.pp
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ begin
 end;
 
 
-function paramstr(l : longint) : string;
+function paramstr(l : longint) : shortstring;
 begin
   if argv=nil then
     setup_arguments;
diff --git a/rtl/wince/system.pp b/rtl/wince/system.pp
index d62b29fde0..1d26a70e42 100644
--- a/rtl/wince/system.pp
+++ b/rtl/wince/system.pp
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ begin
   paramcount := argc - 1;
 end;
 
-function paramstr(l : longint) : string;
+function paramstr(l : longint) : shortstring;
 begin
   setup_arguments;
   if (l>=0) and (l<Fargc) then