diff --git a/lib/rate_limiter.rb b/lib/rate_limiter.rb
index 0b3344606f3..a0bc4515be8 100644
--- a/lib/rate_limiter.rb
+++ b/lib/rate_limiter.rb
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class RateLimiter
   def performed!
     return if rate_unlimited?
     now = Time.now.to_i
-    if eval_lua(PERFORM_LUA, PERFORM_LUA_SHA, [prefixed_key], [now, @secs, @max]) == 0
+    if max <= 0 || (eval_lua(PERFORM_LUA, PERFORM_LUA_SHA, [prefixed_key], [now, @secs, @max]) == 0)
       raise RateLimiter::LimitExceeded.new(seconds_to_wait, @type)
     end
   rescue Redis::CommandError => e
diff --git a/spec/components/rate_limiter_spec.rb b/spec/components/rate_limiter_spec.rb
index ce9bed2a114..4ee586ed7db 100644
--- a/spec/components/rate_limiter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/rate_limiter_spec.rb
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ describe RateLimiter do
       end
     end
 
+    context 'max is less than or equal to zero' do
+
+      it 'should raise the right error' do
+        [-1, 0].each do |max|
+          expect do
+            RateLimiter.new(user, "a", max, 60).performed!
+          end.to raise_error(RateLimiter::LimitExceeded)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     context "multiple calls" do
       before do
         rate_limiter.performed!