diff --git a/include/qemu/throttle.h b/include/qemu/throttle.h
index 66a8ac10a4..6e31155fd4 100644
--- a/include/qemu/throttle.h
+++ b/include/qemu/throttle.h
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ typedef enum {
  */
 
 typedef struct LeakyBucket {
-    double  avg;              /* average goal in units per second */
-    double  max;              /* leaky bucket max burst in units */
+    uint64_t avg;             /* average goal in units per second */
+    uint64_t max;             /* leaky bucket max burst in units */
     double  level;            /* bucket level in units */
     double  burst_level;      /* bucket level in units (for computing bursts) */
     unsigned burst_length;    /* max length of the burst period, in seconds */
diff --git a/tests/test-throttle.c b/tests/test-throttle.c
index 768f11dfed..41c0dd2529 100644
--- a/tests/test-throttle.c
+++ b/tests/test-throttle.c
@@ -284,13 +284,14 @@ static void test_enabled(void)
     for (i = 0; i < BUCKETS_COUNT; i++) {
         throttle_config_init(&cfg);
         set_cfg_value(false, i, 150);
+        g_assert(throttle_is_valid(&cfg, NULL));
         g_assert(throttle_enabled(&cfg));
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < BUCKETS_COUNT; i++) {
         throttle_config_init(&cfg);
         set_cfg_value(false, i, -150);
-        g_assert(!throttle_enabled(&cfg));
+        g_assert(!throttle_is_valid(&cfg, NULL));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/util/throttle.c b/util/throttle.c
index 4e80a7ea54..80660ffd2c 100644
--- a/util/throttle.c
+++ b/util/throttle.c
@@ -106,13 +106,13 @@ int64_t throttle_compute_wait(LeakyBucket *bkt)
         /* If bkt->max is 0 we still want to allow short bursts of I/O
          * from the guest, otherwise every other request will be throttled
          * and performance will suffer considerably. */
-        bucket_size = bkt->avg / 10;
+        bucket_size = (double) bkt->avg / 10;
         burst_bucket_size = 0;
     } else {
         /* If we have a burst limit then we have to wait until all I/O
          * at burst rate has finished before throttling to bkt->avg */
         bucket_size = bkt->max * bkt->burst_length;
-        burst_bucket_size = bkt->max / 10;
+        burst_bucket_size = (double) bkt->max / 10;
     }
 
     /* If the main bucket is full then we have to wait */
@@ -338,8 +338,7 @@ bool throttle_is_valid(ThrottleConfig *cfg, Error **errp)
 
     for (i = 0; i < BUCKETS_COUNT; i++) {
         LeakyBucket *bkt = &cfg->buckets[i];
-        if (bkt->avg < 0 || bkt->max < 0 ||
-            bkt->avg > THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX || bkt->max > THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX) {
+        if (bkt->avg > THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX || bkt->max > THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX) {
             error_setg(errp, "bps/iops/max values must be within [0, %lld]",
                        THROTTLE_VALUE_MAX);
             return false;