diff --git a/backend/app/store/service/service.go b/backend/app/store/service/service.go
index 1517acca..36710160 100644
--- a/backend/app/store/service/service.go
+++ b/backend/app/store/service/service.go
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ func (s *DataStore) Vote(locator store.Locator, commentID string, userID string,
 		return comment, errors.Errorf("user %s already voted for %s", userID, commentID)
 	}
 
-	maxVotes := s.MaxVotes
-	if s.MaxVotes <= 0 {
+	maxVotes := s.MaxVotes // 0 value allowed and treated as "no comments allowed"
+	if s.MaxVotes < 0 {    // any negative value reset max votes to unlimited
 		maxVotes = UnlimitedVotes
 	}
 
diff --git a/backend/app/store/service/service_test.go b/backend/app/store/service/service_test.go
index 1de00e78..b5b22297 100644
--- a/backend/app/store/service/service_test.go
+++ b/backend/app/store/service/service_test.go
@@ -139,8 +139,7 @@ func TestService_VotesDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 	b := DataStore{Interface: prepStoreEngine(t), AdminStore: admin.NewStaticKeyStore("secret 123"), MaxVotes: 0}
 
 	_, err := b.Vote(store.Locator{URL: "https://radio-t.com", SiteID: "radio-t"}, "id-1", "user2", true)
-	assert.NotNil(t, err, "vote limit reached")
-	assert.True(t, strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "maximum number of votes exceeded for comment id-1"))
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "maximum number of votes exceeded for comment id-1")
 }
 
 func TestService_VoteAggressive(t *testing.T) {