diff --git a/doc/configuration.txt b/doc/configuration.txt
index eb3492711..18ceefdf9 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.txt
+++ b/doc/configuration.txt
@@ -251,10 +251,10 @@ tune.maxaccept <number>
   Sets the maximum number of consecutive accepts that a process may perform on
   a single wake up. High values give higher priority to high connection rates,
   while lower values give higher priority to already established connections.
-  This value is unlimited by default in single process mode. However, in
+  This value is limited to 100 by default in single process mode. However, in
   multi-process mode (nbproc > 1), it defaults to 8 so that when one process
   wakes up, it does not take all incoming connections for itself and leaves a
-  part of them to other processes. Setting this value to zero or less disables
+  part of them to other processes. Setting this value to -1 completely disables
   the limitation. It should normally not be needed to tweak this value.
 
 tune.maxpollevents <number>
diff --git a/src/haproxy.c b/src/haproxy.c
index cc6864ea4..d5d61251b 100644
--- a/src/haproxy.c
+++ b/src/haproxy.c
@@ -585,11 +585,11 @@ void init(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (global.tune.maxpollevents <= 0)
 		global.tune.maxpollevents = MAX_POLL_EVENTS;
 
-	if (global.tune.maxaccept <= 0) {
+	if (global.tune.maxaccept == 0) {
 		if (global.nbproc > 1)
 			global.tune.maxaccept = 8;  /* leave some conns to other processes */
 		else
-			global.tune.maxaccept = -1; /* accept all incoming conns */
+			global.tune.maxaccept = 100; /* accept many incoming conns at once */
 	}
 
 	if (arg_mode & (MODE_DEBUG | MODE_FOREGROUND)) {