diff --git a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_route_stmt.cc b/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_route_stmt.cc
index 8eff6ec3e..087540241 100644
--- a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_route_stmt.cc
+++ b/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_route_stmt.cc
@@ -738,17 +738,13 @@ RWBackend* RWSplitSession::get_target_backend(backend_type_t btype,
  */
 int RWSplitSession::get_max_replication_lag()
 {
-    int conf_max_rlag;
+    int conf_max_rlag = SERVER::RLAG_UNDEFINED;
 
     /** if there is no configured value, then longest possible int is used */
     if (m_config.max_slave_replication_lag > 0)
     {
         conf_max_rlag = m_config.max_slave_replication_lag;
     }
-    else
-    {
-        conf_max_rlag = ~(1 << 31);
-    }
 
     return conf_max_rlag;
 }
diff --git a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_select_backends.cc b/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_select_backends.cc
index cbcbb8bf2..30d5eb31f 100644
--- a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_select_backends.cc
+++ b/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/rwsplit_select_backends.cc
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ RWBackend* RWSplitSession::get_slave_backend(int max_rlag)
             }
         }
 
-        if (max_rlag > 0)
+        if (max_rlag != SERVER::RLAG_UNDEFINED)
         {
             auto state = rlag_ok ? SERVER::RLagState::ABOVE_LIMIT : SERVER::RLagState::BELOW_LIMIT;
             backend->change_rlag_state(state, max_rlag);