diff --git a/autotest/ogr/ogr_mitab.py b/autotest/ogr/ogr_mitab.py
index cc1f971a3..2ec5950f2 100755
--- a/autotest/ogr/ogr_mitab.py
+++ b/autotest/ogr/ogr_mitab.py
@@ -489,12 +489,15 @@ def ogr_mitab_14():
 
     data = [['AREA',  ogr.OFTReal,   7, 4],
             ['VOLUME',ogr.OFTReal,   0, 0],
-            ['LENGTH',ogr.OFTInteger,10,0],
-            ['WIDTH', ogr.OFTInteger, 4,0]]
+            ['LENGTH',ogr.OFTInteger,254,0],
+            ['WIDTH', ogr.OFTInteger,254,0]]
 
     for field in data:
         fld = defn.GetFieldDefn(defn.GetFieldIndex(field[0]))
-        if fld.GetType() != field[1] or fld.GetWidth() != field[2] or fld.GetPrecision() != field[3]:
+        expected_with = field[2]
+        if fld.GetType() == ogr.OFTInteger:
+            expected_with = 0
+        if fld.GetType() != field[1] or fld.GetWidth() != expected_with or fld.GetPrecision() != field[3]:
             gdaltest.post_reason( field[0] + ' field definition wrong.' )
             return 'fail'
 
diff --git a/gdal/ogr/ogrsf_frmts/mitab/mitab_miffile.cpp b/gdal/ogr/ogrsf_frmts/mitab/mitab_miffile.cpp
index 0fd8030bb..6d97c8350 100644
--- a/gdal/ogr/ogrsf_frmts/mitab/mitab_miffile.cpp
+++ b/gdal/ogr/ogrsf_frmts/mitab/mitab_miffile.cpp
@@ -1104,13 +1104,8 @@ int MIFFile::WriteMIFHeader()
         switch(m_paeFieldType[iField])
         {
           case TABFInteger:
-            if (poFieldDefn->GetWidth() == 0)
-                m_poMIFFile->WriteLine("  %s Integer\n",
-                                   poFieldDefn->GetNameRef());
-            else
-                m_poMIFFile->WriteLine("  %s Integer(%d)\n",
-                                   poFieldDefn->GetNameRef(),
-                                   poFieldDefn->GetWidth());
+            m_poMIFFile->WriteLine("  %s Integer\n",
+                                poFieldDefn->GetNameRef());
             break;
           case TABFSmallInt:
             m_poMIFFile->WriteLine("  %s SmallInt\n",
@@ -1778,7 +1773,7 @@ int MIFFile::AddFieldNative(const char *pszName, TABFieldType eMapInfoType,
      *----------------------------------------------------------------*/
     if (eMapInfoType == TABFDecimal && nWidth == 0)
         nWidth=20;
-    else if (nWidth == 0)
+    else if (eMapInfoType == TABFChar && nWidth == 0)
         nWidth=254; /* char fields */
 
     /*-----------------------------------------------------------------