diff --git a/src/cfgparse.c b/src/cfgparse.c
index 4c8b48b1e..e29ab9764 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse.c
@@ -649,7 +649,6 @@ int cfg_parse_peers(const char *file, int linenum, char **args, int kwm)
 			}
 			l = LIST_ELEM(bind_conf->listeners.n, typeof(l), by_bind);
 			l->maxaccept = 1;
-			l->maxconn = curpeers->peers_fe->maxconn;
 			l->accept = session_accept_fd;
 			l->analysers |=  curpeers->peers_fe->fe_req_ana;
 			l->default_target = curpeers->peers_fe->default_target;
@@ -852,7 +851,6 @@ int cfg_parse_peers(const char *file, int linenum, char **args, int kwm)
 
 		l = LIST_ELEM(bind_conf->listeners.n, typeof(l), by_bind);
 		l->maxaccept = 1;
-		l->maxconn = curpeers->peers_fe->maxconn;
 		l->accept = session_accept_fd;
 		l->analysers |=  curpeers->peers_fe->fe_req_ana;
 		l->default_target = curpeers->peers_fe->default_target;
@@ -3739,8 +3737,6 @@ out_uri_auth_compat:
 
 			if (curproxy->options & PR_O_TCP_NOLING)
 				listener->options |= LI_O_NOLINGER;
-			if (!listener->maxconn)
-				listener->maxconn = curproxy->maxconn;
 			if (!listener->maxaccept)
 				listener->maxaccept = global.tune.maxaccept ? global.tune.maxaccept : 64;
 
diff --git a/src/cli.c b/src/cli.c
index 9b957186d..def5ebacc 100644
--- a/src/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli.c
@@ -297,7 +297,6 @@ static int stats_parse_global(char **args, int section_type, struct proxy *curpx
 		}
 
 		list_for_each_entry(l, &bind_conf->listeners, by_bind) {
-			l->maxconn = global.stats_fe->maxconn;
 			l->accept = session_accept_fd;
 			l->default_target = global.stats_fe->default_target;
 			l->options |= LI_O_UNLIMITED; /* don't make the peers subject to global limits */
@@ -2520,7 +2519,6 @@ int mworker_cli_proxy_new_listener(char *line)
 
 
 	list_for_each_entry(l, &bind_conf->listeners, by_bind) {
-		l->maxconn = 10;
 		l->accept = session_accept_fd;
 		l->default_target = mworker_proxy->default_target;
 		/* don't make the peers subject to global limits and don't close it in the master */
@@ -2589,7 +2587,6 @@ int mworker_cli_sockpair_new(struct mworker_proc *mworker_proc, int proc)
 	path = NULL;
 
 	list_for_each_entry(l, &bind_conf->listeners, by_bind) {
-		l->maxconn = global.stats_fe->maxconn;
 		l->accept = session_accept_fd;
 		l->default_target = global.stats_fe->default_target;
 		l->options |= (LI_O_UNLIMITED | LI_O_NOSTOP);
diff --git a/src/listener.c b/src/listener.c
index 4e22e507e..9a9699c94 100644
--- a/src/listener.c
+++ b/src/listener.c
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ static void enable_listener(struct listener *listener)
 				listener->state = LI_LISTEN;
 			}
 		}
-		else if (listener->nbconn < listener->maxconn) {
+		else if (!listener->maxconn || listener->nbconn < listener->maxconn) {
 			fd_want_recv(listener->fd);
 			listener->state = LI_READY;
 		}
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ int resume_listener(struct listener *l)
 
 	LIST_DEL_LOCKED(&l->wait_queue);
 
-	if (l->nbconn >= l->maxconn) {
+	if (l->maxconn && l->nbconn >= l->maxconn) {
 		l->state = LI_FULL;
 		goto end;
 	}
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@ void listener_accept(int fd)
 		 */
 		do {
 			count = l->nbconn;
-			if (count >= l->maxconn) {
+			if (l->maxconn && count >= l->maxconn) {
 				/* the listener was marked full or another
 				 * thread is going to do it.
 				 */
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ void listener_accept(int fd)
 			next_conn = count + 1;
 		} while (!HA_ATOMIC_CAS(&l->nbconn, &count, next_conn));
 
-		if (next_conn == l->maxconn) {
+		if (l->maxconn && next_conn == l->maxconn) {
 			/* we filled it, mark it full */
 			listener_full(l);
 		}
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ void listener_accept(int fd)
 	if (next_actconn)
 		HA_ATOMIC_SUB(&actconn, 1);
 
-	if ((l->state == LI_FULL && l->nbconn < l->maxconn) ||
+	if ((l->state == LI_FULL && (!l->maxconn || l->nbconn < l->maxconn)) ||
 	    (l->state == LI_LIMITED && ((!p || p->feconn < p->maxconn) && (actconn < global.maxconn)))) {
 		/* at least one thread has to this when quitting */
 		resume_listener(l);
@@ -1212,8 +1212,8 @@ static int bind_parse_maxconn(char **args, int cur_arg, struct proxy *px, struct
 	}
 
 	val = atol(args[cur_arg + 1]);
-	if (val <= 0) {
-		memprintf(err, "'%s' : invalid value %d, must be > 0", args[cur_arg], val);
+	if (val < 0) {
+		memprintf(err, "'%s' : invalid value %d, must be >= 0", args[cur_arg], val);
 		return ERR_ALERT | ERR_FATAL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index dc5bdeaf8..743bce88e 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -2551,14 +2551,11 @@ static struct task *process_peer_sync(struct task * task, void *context, unsigne
 int peers_init_sync(struct peers *peers)
 {
 	struct peer * curpeer;
-	struct listener *listener;
 
 	for (curpeer = peers->remote; curpeer; curpeer = curpeer->next) {
 		peers->peers_fe->maxconn += 3;
 	}
 
-	list_for_each_entry(listener, &peers->peers_fe->conf.listeners, by_fe)
-		listener->maxconn = peers->peers_fe->maxconn;
 	peers->sync_task = task_new(MAX_THREADS_MASK);
 	if (!peers->sync_task)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/proxy.c b/src/proxy.c
index 78e099ee9..d3c069882 100644
--- a/src/proxy.c
+++ b/src/proxy.c
@@ -1884,7 +1884,8 @@ static int cli_parse_set_maxconn_frontend(char **args, char *payload, struct app
 
 	px->maxconn = v;
 	list_for_each_entry(l, &px->conf.listeners, by_fe) {
-		l->maxconn = v;
+		if (l->maxconn)
+			l->maxconn = v;
 		if (l->state == LI_FULL)
 			resume_listener(l);
 	}
diff --git a/src/stats.c b/src/stats.c
index a7c12e120..26b1450e8 100644
--- a/src/stats.c
+++ b/src/stats.c
@@ -1472,7 +1472,7 @@ int stats_fill_li_stats(struct proxy *px, struct listener *l, int flags,
 	stats[ST_F_EREQ]     = mkf_u64(FN_COUNTER, l->counters->failed_req);
 	stats[ST_F_DCON]     = mkf_u64(FN_COUNTER, l->counters->denied_conn);
 	stats[ST_F_DSES]     = mkf_u64(FN_COUNTER, l->counters->denied_sess);
-	stats[ST_F_STATUS]   = mkf_str(FO_STATUS, (l->nbconn < l->maxconn) ? (l->state == LI_LIMITED) ? "WAITING" : "OPEN" : "FULL");
+	stats[ST_F_STATUS]   = mkf_str(FO_STATUS, (!l->maxconn || l->nbconn < l->maxconn) ? (l->state == LI_LIMITED) ? "WAITING" : "OPEN" : "FULL");
 	stats[ST_F_PID]      = mkf_u32(FO_KEY, relative_pid);
 	stats[ST_F_IID]      = mkf_u32(FO_KEY|FS_SERVICE, px->uuid);
 	stats[ST_F_SID]      = mkf_u32(FO_KEY|FS_SERVICE, l->luid);