diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index 1392fffaaa..07cfe25e1e 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -348,7 +348,8 @@ static bool check_throttle_config(ThrottleConfig *cfg, Error **errp)
     }
 
     if (!throttle_is_valid(cfg)) {
-        error_setg(errp, "bps/iops/maxs values must be 0 or greater");
+        error_setg(errp, "bps/iops/max values must be within [0, %lld]",
+                   THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX);
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/include/qemu/throttle.h b/include/qemu/throttle.h
index 12faaad959..d0c98ed25b 100644
--- a/include/qemu/throttle.h
+++ b/include/qemu/throttle.h
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 #include "qemu-common.h"
 #include "qemu/timer.h"
 
+#define THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX 1000000000000000LL
+
 typedef enum {
     THROTTLE_BPS_TOTAL,
     THROTTLE_BPS_READ,
diff --git a/util/throttle.c b/util/throttle.c
index 1113671ecf..af4bc95ba3 100644
--- a/util/throttle.c
+++ b/util/throttle.c
@@ -282,22 +282,18 @@ bool throttle_conflicting(ThrottleConfig *cfg)
  */
 bool throttle_is_valid(ThrottleConfig *cfg)
 {
-    bool invalid = false;
     int i;
 
     for (i = 0; i < BUCKETS_COUNT; i++) {
-        if (cfg->buckets[i].avg < 0) {
-            invalid = true;
+        if (cfg->buckets[i].avg < 0 ||
+            cfg->buckets[i].max < 0 ||
+            cfg->buckets[i].avg > THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX ||
+            cfg->buckets[i].max > THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX) {
+            return false;
         }
     }
 
-    for (i = 0; i < BUCKETS_COUNT; i++) {
-        if (cfg->buckets[i].max < 0) {
-            invalid = true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    return !invalid;
+    return true;
 }
 
 /* check if bps_max/iops_max is used without bps/iops