diff --git a/session.go b/session.go
index 4913930d7c..d2c62b1807 100644
--- a/session.go
+++ b/session.go
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ func (h *stmtHistory) clone() *stmtHistory {
 	return &nh
 }
 
+const unlimitedRetryCnt = -1
+
 type session struct {
 	txn         kv.Transaction // Current transaction
 	args        []interface{}  // Statment execution args, this should be cleaned up after exec
@@ -254,7 +256,7 @@ func (s *session) Retry() error {
 			}
 		}
 		retryCnt++
-		if (s.maxRetryCnt > 0) && (retryCnt >= s.maxRetryCnt) {
+		if (s.maxRetryCnt != unlimitedRetryCnt) && (retryCnt >= s.maxRetryCnt) {
 			return errors.Trace(err)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/session_test.go b/session_test.go
index 2e3258aa57..7f51855dc5 100644
--- a/session_test.go
+++ b/session_test.go
@@ -1131,10 +1131,13 @@ func (s *testSessionSuite) TestIssue571(c *C) {
 	mustExecSQL(c, se, "commit")
 
 	se1 := newSession(c, store, s.dbName)
+	se1.(*session).maxRetryCnt = unlimitedRetryCnt
 	mustExecSQL(c, se1, "SET SESSION autocommit=1;")
 	se2 := newSession(c, store, s.dbName)
+	se2.(*session).maxRetryCnt = unlimitedRetryCnt
 	mustExecSQL(c, se2, "SET SESSION autocommit=1;")
 	se3 := newSession(c, store, s.dbName)
+	se3.(*session).maxRetryCnt = unlimitedRetryCnt
 	mustExecSQL(c, se3, "SET SESSION autocommit=0;")
 
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup