diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp b/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp
index 4eced1cb39..f5221daf7a 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/flashparams/flashparams.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ param_export_internal(param_filter_func filter)
 		case PARAM_TYPE_INT32:
 			i = s->val.i;
 
-			if (bson_encoder_append_int(&encoder, param_name(s->param), i)) {
+			if (bson_encoder_append_int32(&encoder, param_name(s->param), i)) {
 				debug("BSON append failed for '%s'", param_name(s->param));
 				goto out;
 			}
diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp b/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
index 0794ca1397..5e21348180 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/parameters.cpp
@@ -1503,7 +1503,7 @@ static int param_export_internal(int fd, param_filter_func filter)
 				const int32_t i = s->val.i;
 				PX4_DEBUG("exporting: %s (%d) size: %lu val: %" PRIi32, name, s->param, (long unsigned int)size, i);
 
-				if (bson_encoder_append_int(&encoder, name, i) != 0) {
+				if (bson_encoder_append_int32(&encoder, name, i) != 0) {
 					PX4_ERR("BSON append failed for '%s'", name);
 					goto out;
 				}
diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.cpp b/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.cpp
index 8a475b9db4..c9b2a0f0be 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.cpp
@@ -575,28 +575,28 @@ int bson_encoder_append_bool(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, bool valu
 }
 
 int
-bson_encoder_append_int(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, int64_t value)
+bson_encoder_append_int32(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, int32_t value)
 {
-	bool result;
-
 	CODER_CHECK(encoder);
 
-	/* use the smallest encoding that will hold the value */
-	if (value == (int32_t)value) {
-		debug("encoding %lld as int32", value);
-		result = write_int8(encoder, BSON_INT32) ||
-			 write_name(encoder, name) ||
-			 write_int32(encoder, value);
-
-	} else {
-		debug("encoding %lld as int64", value);
-		result = write_int8(encoder, BSON_INT64) ||
-			 write_name(encoder, name) ||
-			 write_int64(encoder, value);
+	if (write_int8(encoder, BSON_INT32) ||
+	    write_name(encoder, name) ||
+	    write_int32(encoder, value)) {
+		CODER_KILL(encoder, "write error on BSON_INT32");
 	}
 
-	if (result) {
-		CODER_KILL(encoder, "write error on BSON_INT");
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+bson_encoder_append_int64(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, int64_t value)
+{
+	CODER_CHECK(encoder);
+
+	if (write_int8(encoder, BSON_INT64) ||
+	    write_name(encoder, name) ||
+	    write_int64(encoder, value)) {
+		CODER_KILL(encoder, "write error on BSON_INT64");
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -613,7 +613,6 @@ bson_encoder_append_double(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, double valu
 		CODER_KILL(encoder, "write error on BSON_DOUBLE");
 	}
 
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.h b/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.h
index bf7ca4e0ac..eb370454ee 100644
--- a/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.h
+++ b/src/lib/parameters/tinybson/tinybson.h
@@ -256,13 +256,22 @@ __EXPORT void *bson_encoder_buf_data(bson_encoder_t encoder);
 __EXPORT int bson_encoder_append_bool(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, bool value);
 
 /**
- * Append an integer to the encoded stream.
+ * Append an int32 to the encoded stream.
  *
  * @param encoder		Encoder state.
  * @param name			Node name.
  * @param value			Value to be encoded.
  */
-__EXPORT int bson_encoder_append_int(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, int64_t value);
+__EXPORT int bson_encoder_append_int32(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, int32_t value);
+
+/**
+ * Append an int64 to the encoded stream.
+ *
+ * @param encoder		Encoder state.
+ * @param name			Node name.
+ * @param value			Value to be encoded.
+ */
+__EXPORT int bson_encoder_append_int64(bson_encoder_t encoder, const char *name, int64_t value);
 
 /**
  * Append a double to the encoded stream
diff --git a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_bson.cpp b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_bson.cpp
index 04140d4803..caaaa3474f 100644
--- a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_bson.cpp
+++ b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_bson.cpp
@@ -65,12 +65,12 @@ encode(bson_encoder_t encoder)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	if (bson_encoder_append_int(encoder, "int1", sample_small_int) != 0) {
+	if (bson_encoder_append_int32(encoder, "int1", sample_small_int) != 0) {
 		PX4_ERR("FAIL: encoder: append int failed");
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	if (bson_encoder_append_int(encoder, "int2", sample_big_int) != 0) {
+	if (bson_encoder_append_int64(encoder, "int2", sample_big_int) != 0) {
 		PX4_ERR("FAIL: encoder: append int failed");
 		return 1;
 	}