diff --git a/server/core/config.c b/server/core/config.c
index d1c123476..0d991d241 100644
--- a/server/core/config.c
+++ b/server/core/config.c
@@ -2584,19 +2584,31 @@ int create_new_monitor(CONFIG_CONTEXT *context, CONFIG_CONTEXT *obj, HASHTABLE*
         char *connect_timeout = config_get_value(obj->parameters, "backend_connect_timeout");
         if (connect_timeout)
         {
-            monitorSetNetworkTimeout(obj->element, MONITOR_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, atoi(connect_timeout));
+            if (!monitorSetNetworkTimeout(obj->element, MONITOR_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, atoi(connect_timeout)))
+            {
+                MXS_ERROR("Failed to set backend_connect_timeout");
+                error_count++;
+            }
         }
 
         char *read_timeout = config_get_value(obj->parameters, "backend_read_timeout");
         if (read_timeout)
         {
-            monitorSetNetworkTimeout(obj->element, MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT, atoi(read_timeout));
+            if (!monitorSetNetworkTimeout(obj->element, MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT, atoi(read_timeout)))
+            {
+                MXS_ERROR("Failed to set backend_read_timeout");
+                error_count++;
+            }
         }
 
         char *write_timeout = config_get_value(obj->parameters, "backend_write_timeout");
         if (write_timeout)
         {
-            monitorSetNetworkTimeout(obj->element, MONITOR_WRITE_TIMEOUT, atoi(write_timeout));
+            if (!monitorSetNetworkTimeout(obj->element, MONITOR_WRITE_TIMEOUT, atoi(write_timeout)))
+            {
+                MXS_ERROR("Failed to set backend_write_timeout");
+                error_count++;
+            }
         }
 
         /* get the servers to monitor */
diff --git a/server/core/monitor.c b/server/core/monitor.c
index 60590149d..46f10b821 100644
--- a/server/core/monitor.c
+++ b/server/core/monitor.c
@@ -411,60 +411,39 @@ monitorSetInterval(MONITOR *mon, unsigned long interval)
  * @param type          The timeout handling type
  * @param value         The timeout to set
  */
-void
-monitorSetNetworkTimeout(MONITOR *mon, int type, int value) {
+bool
+monitorSetNetworkTimeout(MONITOR *mon, int type, int value)
+{
+    bool rval = true;
 
-    int max_timeout = (int)(mon->interval/1000);
-    int new_timeout = max_timeout -1;
-
-    if (new_timeout <= 0)
+    if (value > 0)
     {
-        new_timeout = DEFAULT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT;
+        switch (type)
+        {
+            case MONITOR_CONNECT_TIMEOUT:
+                mon->connect_timeout = value;
+                break;
+
+            case MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT:
+                mon->read_timeout = value;
+                break;
+
+            case MONITOR_WRITE_TIMEOUT:
+                mon->write_timeout = value;
+                break;
+
+            default:
+                MXS_ERROR("Monitor setNetworkTimeout received an unsupported action type %i", type);
+                rval = false;
+                break;
+        }
     }
-
-    switch(type) {
-    case MONITOR_CONNECT_TIMEOUT:
-        if (value < max_timeout)
-        {
-            memcpy(&mon->connect_timeout, &value, sizeof(int));
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            memcpy(&mon->connect_timeout, &new_timeout, sizeof(int));
-            MXS_WARNING("Monitor Connect Timeout %i is greater than monitor interval ~%i seconds"
-                        ", lowering to %i seconds", value, max_timeout, new_timeout);
-        }
-        break;
-
-    case MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT:
-        if (value < max_timeout)
-        {
-            memcpy(&mon->read_timeout, &value, sizeof(int));
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            memcpy(&mon->read_timeout, &new_timeout, sizeof(int));
-            MXS_WARNING("Monitor Read Timeout %i is greater than monitor interval ~%i seconds"
-                        ", lowering to %i seconds", value, max_timeout, new_timeout);
-        }
-        break;
-
-    case MONITOR_WRITE_TIMEOUT:
-        if (value < max_timeout)
-        {
-            memcpy(&mon->write_timeout, &value, sizeof(int));
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            memcpy(&mon->write_timeout, &new_timeout, sizeof(int));
-            MXS_WARNING("Monitor Write Timeout %i is greater than monitor interval ~%i seconds"
-                        ", lowering to %i seconds", value, max_timeout, new_timeout);
-        }
-        break;
-    default:
-        MXS_ERROR("Monitor setNetworkTimeout received an unsupported action type %i", type);
-        break;
+    else
+    {
+        MXS_ERROR("Negative value for monitor timeout.");
+        rval = false;
     }
+    return rval;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/server/include/monitor.h b/server/include/monitor.h
index 9df937086..d97d0f06c 100644
--- a/server/include/monitor.h
+++ b/server/include/monitor.h
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ extern void monitorShowAll(DCB *);
 extern void monitorShow(DCB *, MONITOR *);
 extern void monitorList(DCB *);
 extern void monitorSetInterval (MONITOR *, unsigned long);
-extern void monitorSetNetworkTimeout(MONITOR *, int, int);
+extern bool monitorSetNetworkTimeout(MONITOR *, int, int);
 extern RESULTSET *monitorGetList();
 bool check_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor);