diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/DexFile.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/DexFile.java
index 95af0c36..cb07690a 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/DexFile.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/DexFile.java
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ public class DexFile
     private int fileSize;
     private int dataOffset;
     private int dataSize;
+    private boolean forDumping;
 
     private final DexFile dexFile = this;
 
@@ -97,9 +98,15 @@ public class DexFile
     }
 
     public DexFile(File file) {
+        this(file, false);
+    }
+
+    public DexFile(File file, boolean forDumping) {
         this();
         Input in = new ByteArrayInput(FileUtils.readFile(file));
 
+        this.forDumping = forDumping;
+
         HeaderItemSection.readFrom(1, in);
         HeaderItem headerItem = HeaderItemSection.items.get(0);
 
@@ -180,6 +187,10 @@ public class DexFile
         return dataSize;
     }
 
+    public boolean isForDumping() {
+        return forDumping;
+    }
+
     public void place() {
         int offset = 0;
 
@@ -316,7 +327,7 @@ public class DexFile
 
     public final OffsettedSection<DebugInfoItem> DebugInfoItemsSection = new OffsettedSection<DebugInfoItem>() {
         protected DebugInfoItem make(int offset) {
-            return new DebugInfoItem(dexFile, offset); 
+            return new DebugInfoItem(dexFile, offset);
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/Leb128Field.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/Leb128Field.java
index c748b1d1..2ba58342 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/Leb128Field.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/Leb128Field.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class Leb128Field extends CachedIntegerValueField {
         super(value, fieldName);
     }
 
-    public void readFrom(Input in) {
+    public void readFrom(Input in) {       
         value = in.readUnsignedLeb128();
     }
 
@@ -52,4 +52,44 @@ public class Leb128Field extends CachedIntegerValueField {
     public void writeValue(Output out) {
         out.writeUnsignedLeb128(value);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * dx had a bug where it would write registers in the debug
+     * info as signed leb 128 values instead of unsigned. This class
+     * is used when it is important to keep the same format as the
+     * file being read in - for example when the intent is to immediately
+     * write the file back out (typically for dumping/annotation purposes)
+     */
+    public static class PossiblySignedLeb128Field extends Leb128Field {
+        private boolean signed = false;
+
+        public PossiblySignedLeb128Field(String fieldName) {
+            super (fieldName);
+        }
+
+        public void readFrom(Input in) {
+            int start = in.getCursor();
+            value = in.readUnsignedLeb128();
+            int end = in.getCursor();
+
+            if (Leb128Utils.unsignedLeb128Size(value) != (end - start)) {
+                signed = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        public int place(int offset) {
+            if (signed) {
+                return offset + Leb128Utils.signedLeb128Size(value);
+            }
+            return offset + Leb128Utils.unsignedLeb128Size(value);
+        }
+
+        public void writeValue(Output out) {
+            if (signed) {
+                out.writeSignedLeb128(value);
+            } else {
+                out.writeUnsignedLeb128(value);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/DebugInstructionFactory.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/DebugInstructionFactory.java
index 9527c7b1..bb72709a 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/DebugInstructionFactory.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/DebugInstructionFactory.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public abstract class DebugInstructionFactory {
             case 0x05:
                 return new EndLocal();
             case 0x06:
-                return new RestartLocal();
+                return new RestartLocal(dexFile.isForDumping());
             case 0x07:
                 return new SetPrologueEnd();
             case 0x08:
diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/RestartLocal.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/RestartLocal.java
index 71d5fa73..0218b4b0 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/RestartLocal.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/RestartLocal.java
@@ -28,25 +28,23 @@
 
 package org.jf.dexlib.debug;
 
-import org.jf.dexlib.ByteField;
-import org.jf.dexlib.CompositeField;
-import org.jf.dexlib.Field;
-import org.jf.dexlib.Leb128Field;
+import org.jf.dexlib.*;
 
 public class RestartLocal extends CompositeField<RestartLocal> implements DebugInstruction<RestartLocal> {
     private final ByteField opcode;
     private final Leb128Field registerNumber;
 
-    public RestartLocal() {
+    public RestartLocal(boolean forDumping) {
         super("DBG_RESTART_LOCAL");
         fields = new Field[] {
                 opcode = new ByteField((byte)0x06, "opcode"),
-                registerNumber = new Leb128Field("register_num")
+                registerNumber  = forDumping?new Leb128Field.PossiblySignedLeb128Field("register_num"):
+                        new Leb128Field("register_num")
         };
     }
 
     public RestartLocal(int registerNumber) {
-        this();
+        this(false);
         this.registerNumber.cacheValue(registerNumber);
     }
 
diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocal.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocal.java
index 2e07b928..e3d09e84 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocal.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocal.java
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ public class StartLocal extends CompositeField<StartLocal> implements DebugInstr
         super("DBG_START_LOCAL");
         fields = new Field[] {
                 opcodeField = new ByteField((byte)0x03, "opcode"),
-                registerNumber = new Leb128Field("register_num"),
+                registerNumber = dexFile.isForDumping()?new Leb128Field.PossiblySignedLeb128Field("register_num"):
+                        new Leb128Field("register_num"),
                 localName = new IndexedItemReference<StringIdItem>(dexFile.StringIdsSection,
                         new Leb128p1Field(null), "name_idx"),
                 localType = new IndexedItemReference<TypeIdItem>(dexFile.TypeIdsSection,
diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocalExtended.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocalExtended.java
index 05e86773..f7ecc153 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocalExtended.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/debug/StartLocalExtended.java
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ public class StartLocalExtended extends CompositeField<StartLocalExtended> imple
         super("DBG_START_LOCAL_EXTENDED");
         fields = new Field[] {
                 opcodeField = new ByteField((byte)0x04, "opcode"),
-                registerNumber = new Leb128Field("register_num"),
+                registerNumber = dexFile.isForDumping()?new Leb128Field.PossiblySignedLeb128Field("register_num"):
+                        new Leb128Field("register_num"),
                 localName = new IndexedItemReference<StringIdItem>(dexFile.StringIdsSection,
                         new Leb128p1Field(null), "name_idx"),
                 localType = new IndexedItemReference<TypeIdItem>(dexFile.TypeIdsSection,