diff --git a/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config.go b/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config.go
index e33e71b6e0..fd93719686 100644
--- a/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config.go
+++ b/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config.go
@@ -361,12 +361,12 @@ type PerQueryLimitsConfiguration struct {
 	// MaxFetchedSeries limits the number of time series returned for any given
 	// individual storage node per query, before returning result to query
 	// service.
-	MaxFetchedSeries int `yaml:"maxFetchedSeries"`
+	MaxFetchedSeries *int `yaml:"maxFetchedSeries"`
 
 	// MaxFetchedDocs limits the number of index documents matched for any given
 	// individual storage node per query, before returning result to query
 	// service.
-	MaxFetchedDocs int `yaml:"maxFetchedDocs"`
+	MaxFetchedDocs *int `yaml:"maxFetchedDocs"`
 
 	// RequireExhaustive results in an error if the query exceeds any limit.
 	RequireExhaustive *bool `yaml:"requireExhaustive"`
@@ -376,13 +376,13 @@ type PerQueryLimitsConfiguration struct {
 // handleroptions.FetchOptionsBuilderLimitsOptions.
 func (l *PerQueryLimitsConfiguration) AsFetchOptionsBuilderLimitsOptions() handleroptions.FetchOptionsBuilderLimitsOptions {
 	seriesLimit := defaultStorageQuerySeriesLimit
-	if v := l.MaxFetchedSeries; v > 0 {
-		seriesLimit = v
+	if v := l.MaxFetchedSeries; v != nil {
+		seriesLimit = *v
 	}
 
 	docsLimit := defaultStorageQueryDocsLimit
-	if v := l.MaxFetchedDocs; v > 0 {
-		docsLimit = v
+	if v := l.MaxFetchedDocs; v != nil {
+		docsLimit = *v
 	}
 
 	requireExhaustive := defaultRequireExhaustive
diff --git a/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config_test.go b/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config_test.go
index 88bb05855d..be685863cd 100644
--- a/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/services/m3query/config/config_test.go
@@ -94,14 +94,18 @@ func TestConfigLoading(t *testing.T) {
 	requireExhaustive = true
 	assert.Equal(t, &LimitsConfiguration{
 		PerQuery: PerQueryLimitsConfiguration{
-			MaxFetchedSeries:  12000,
-			MaxFetchedDocs:    11000,
+			MaxFetchedSeries:  intPtrValue(12000),
+			MaxFetchedDocs:    intPtrValue(11000),
 			RequireExhaustive: &requireExhaustive,
 		},
 	}, &cfg.Limits)
 	// TODO: assert on more fields here.
 }
 
+func intPtrValue(i int) *int {
+	return &i
+}
+
 func TestConfigValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	baseCfg := func(t *testing.T) *Configuration {
 		var cfg Configuration
@@ -131,7 +135,7 @@ func TestConfigValidation(t *testing.T) {
 			cfg := baseCfg(t)
 			cfg.Limits = LimitsConfiguration{
 				PerQuery: PerQueryLimitsConfiguration{
-					MaxFetchedSeries: tc.limit,
+					MaxFetchedSeries: intPtrValue(tc.limit),
 				}}
 
 			assert.NoError(t, validator.Validate(cfg))