diff --git a/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.cpp b/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.cpp
index b338dadbc8..81438c876c 100644
--- a/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.cpp
+++ b/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.cpp
@@ -3519,8 +3519,7 @@ void NesterovBaseCommon::createCbkITerm(odb::dbITerm* iTerm)
 
 // assuming fixpointers will be called later
 //  maintaining consistency in NBC::gcellStor_ and NB::gCells_
-std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> NesterovBase::destroyCbkGCell(
-    odb::dbInst* db_inst)
+std::pair<odb::dbInst*, int> NesterovBase::destroyCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst)
 {
   debugPrint(log_,
              GPL,
@@ -3530,7 +3529,7 @@ std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> NesterovBase::destroyCbkGCell(
              pb_->getGroup() ? pb_->getGroup()->getName() : "Top-level",
              db_inst->getName());
   auto db_it = db_inst_to_nb_index_.find(db_inst);
-  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> replacement = {nullptr, -1};
+  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, int> replacement = {nullptr, -1};
   if (db_it != db_inst_to_nb_index_.end()) {
     size_t last_index = nb_gcells_.size() - 1;
     size_t gcell_index = db_it->second;
@@ -3600,10 +3599,10 @@ bool NesterovBase::updateHandle(odb::dbInst* db_inst, size_t handle)
   return true;
 }
 
-std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> NesterovBaseCommon::destroyCbkGCell(
+std::pair<odb::dbInst*, int> NesterovBaseCommon::destroyCbkGCell(
     odb::dbInst* db_inst)
 {
-  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> replacement = {nullptr, -1};
+  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, int> replacement = {nullptr, -1};
   auto it = db_inst_to_nbc_index_map_.find(db_inst);
   if (it == db_inst_to_nbc_index_map_.end()) {
     debugPrint(log_,
diff --git a/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.h b/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.h
index 1d7e324b53..b8e8928d77 100644
--- a/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.h
+++ b/src/gpl/src/nesterovBase.h
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ class NesterovBaseCommon
   size_t createCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst);
   void createCbkGNet(odb::dbNet* net, bool skip_io_mode);
   void createCbkITerm(odb::dbITerm* iTerm);
-  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> destroyCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst);
+  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, int> destroyCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst);
   void destroyCbkGNet(odb::dbNet*);
   void destroyCbkITerm(odb::dbITerm*);
   void resizeGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst);
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ class NesterovBase
   bool isDiverged() const { return isDiverged_; }
 
   void createCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst, size_t stor_index);
-  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> destroyCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst);
+  std::pair<odb::dbInst*, int> destroyCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst);
   bool updateHandle(odb::dbInst* db_inst, size_t handle);
 
   // Must be called after fixPointers() to initialize internal values of gcells,
diff --git a/src/gpl/src/nesterovPlace.cpp b/src/gpl/src/nesterovPlace.cpp
index 4a06cc7a95..fc2513d56b 100644
--- a/src/gpl/src/nesterovPlace.cpp
+++ b/src/gpl/src/nesterovPlace.cpp
@@ -1286,8 +1286,7 @@ void NesterovPlace::destroyCbkGCell(odb::dbInst* db_inst)
 
   bool destroyed = false;
   for (auto& nesterov : nbVec_) {
-    std::pair<odb::dbInst*, size_t> replaced
-        = nesterov->destroyCbkGCell(db_inst);
+    std::pair<odb::dbInst*, int> replaced = nesterov->destroyCbkGCell(db_inst);
     if (replaced.first) {
       bool updated = false;
       for (auto& nesterov : nbVec_) {