diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/SocketServer.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/SocketServer.cs
index ba8e7b7e64c..118ddf0f68c 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/SocketServer.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/SocketServer.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public static byte[] PrefixWithLength(byte[] payload)
 
 		private readonly Func<byte[]> _takeScreenshotCallback;
 
-		private (string HostIP, int Port) _targetAddr;
+		private (string HostIP, ushort Port) _targetAddr;
 
 		public bool Connected { get; private set; }
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public string IP
 			}
 		}
 
-		public int Port
+		public ushort Port
 		{
 			get => _targetAddr.Port;
 			set
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public int Port
 			}
 		}
 
-		public (string HostIP, int Port) TargetAddress
+		public (string HostIP, ushort Port) TargetAddress
 		{
 			get => _targetAddr;
 			set
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public int Port
 
 		public bool Successful { get; private set; }
 
-		public SocketServer(Func<byte[]> takeScreenshotCallback, ProtocolType protocol, string ip, int port)
+		public SocketServer(Func<byte[]> takeScreenshotCallback, ProtocolType protocol, string ip, ushort port)
 		{
 			_protocol = protocol;
 			ReinitSocket(out _soc);
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ArgParser.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ArgParser.cs
index 0d8350edd3e..93320cbbdab 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ArgParser.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ArgParser.cs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public static void ParseArguments(out ParsedCLIFlags parsed, string[] args)
 			bool? startFullscreen = null;
 			string? luaScript = null;
 			bool? luaConsole = null;
-			int? socketPort = null;
+			ushort? socketPort = null;
 			string? socketIP = null;
 			string? mmfFilename = null;
 			string? urlGet = null;
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public static void ParseArguments(out ParsedCLIFlags parsed, string[] args)
 				}
 				else if (argDowncased.StartsWithOrdinal("--socket_port="))
 				{
-					var port = int.TryParse(argDowncased.Substring(argDowncased.IndexOf('=') + 1), out var i1) ? i1 : default;
+					var port = ushort.TryParse(arg.Substring(14), out var i1) ? i1 : (ushort) 0;
 					if (port > 0) socketPort = port;
 				}
 				else if (argDowncased.StartsWithOrdinal("--socket_ip="))
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ public static void ParseArguments(out ParsedCLIFlags parsed, string[] args)
 			var httpAddresses = urlGet == null && urlPost == null
 				? ((string?, string?)?) null // don't bother
 				: (urlGet, urlPost);
-			(string, int)? socketAddress;
+			(string, ushort)? socketAddress;
 			if (socketIP == null && socketPort == null)
 			{
 				socketAddress = null; // don't bother
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ParsedCLIFlags.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ParsedCLIFlags.cs
index d2f0c0338f4..489585ea292 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ParsedCLIFlags.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/ParsedCLIFlags.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public readonly struct ParsedCLIFlags
 
 		public readonly bool luaConsole;
 
-		public readonly (string IP, int Port)? SocketAddress;
+		public readonly (string IP, ushort Port)? SocketAddress;
 
 		public readonly ProtocolType SocketProtocol;
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public ParsedCLIFlags(
 			bool startFullscreen,
 			string? luaScript,
 			bool luaConsole,
-			(string IP, int Port)? socketAddress,
+			(string IP, ushort Port)? socketAddress,
 			string? mmfFilename,
 			(string? UrlGet, string? UrlPost)? httpAddresses,
 			bool? audiosync,
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/CommonLibs/CommLuaLibrary.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/CommonLibs/CommLuaLibrary.cs
index bc44d08d1cb..bbf72ce810a 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/CommonLibs/CommLuaLibrary.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/CommonLibs/CommLuaLibrary.cs
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ public void SocketServerSetIp(string ip)
 		}
 
 		[LuaMethod("socketServerSetPort", "sets the port of the Lua socket server")]
-		public void SocketServerSetPort(int port)
+		public void SocketServerSetPort(ushort port)
 		{
 			CheckSocketServer();
 			APIs.Comm.Sockets.Port = port;