diff --git a/src/master-playlist-controller.js b/src/master-playlist-controller.js
index f42344110..949fb2538 100644
--- a/src/master-playlist-controller.js
+++ b/src/master-playlist-controller.js
@@ -140,7 +140,6 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
       bandwidth,
       externVhs,
       useCueTags,
-      maxPlaylistRetries,
       blacklistDuration,
       enableLowInitialPlaylist,
       sourceType,
@@ -152,6 +151,12 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
       throw new Error('A non-empty playlist URL or JSON manifest string is required');
     }
 
+    let { maxPlaylistRetries } = options;
+
+    if (maxPlaylistRetries === null || typeof maxPlaylistRetries === 'undefined') {
+      maxPlaylistRetries = Infinity;
+    }
+
     Vhs = externVhs;
 
     this.experimentalBufferBasedABR = Boolean(experimentalBufferBasedABR);
diff --git a/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js b/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js
index 5fe28396c..ae4e69898 100644
--- a/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js
+++ b/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js
@@ -5796,6 +5796,70 @@ QUnit.test('true if duration < 30', function(assert) {
   assert.ok(mpc.shouldSwitchToMedia_(nextPlaylist), 'should switch');
 });
 
+QUnit.test('maxPlaylistRetries defaults to Infinity when no value or null/undefined is provided', function(assert) {
+  const playerNull = createPlayer({
+    html5: {
+      vhs: {
+        maxPlaylistRetries: null
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  const playerUndefined = createPlayer({
+    html5: {
+      vhs: {
+        maxPlaylistRetries: undefined
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  const playerNoValue = createPlayer();
+
+  playerNull.src({
+    src: 'manifest/master.m3u8',
+    type: 'application/vnd.apple.mpegurl'
+  });
+
+  this.clock.tick(1);
+
+  playerUndefined.src({
+    src: 'manifest/master.m3u8',
+    type: 'application/vnd.apple.mpegurl'
+  });
+
+  this.clock.tick(1);
+
+  playerNoValue.src({
+    src: 'manifest/master.m3u8',
+    type: 'application/vnd.apple.mpegurl'
+  });
+
+  this.clock.tick(1);
+
+  assert.equal(playerNull.tech_.vhs.masterPlaylistController_.maxPlaylistRetries, Infinity, 'maxPlaylistRetries defaults to Infinity when null is provided as the option value');
+  assert.equal(playerUndefined.tech_.vhs.masterPlaylistController_.maxPlaylistRetries, Infinity, 'maxPlaylistRetries defaults to Infinity when undefined is provided as the option value');
+  assert.equal(playerNoValue.tech_.vhs.masterPlaylistController_.maxPlaylistRetries, Infinity, 'maxPlaylistRetries defaults to Infinity when no value is provided');
+});
+
+QUnit.test('maxPlaylistRetries is set when zero is passed as the option\'s value', function(assert) {
+  const player = createPlayer({
+    html5: {
+      vhs: {
+        maxPlaylistRetries: 0
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  player.src({
+    src: 'manifest/master.m3u8',
+    type: 'application/vnd.apple.mpegurl'
+  });
+
+  this.clock.tick(1);
+
+  assert.equal(player.tech_.vhs.masterPlaylistController_.maxPlaylistRetries, 0, 'maxPlaylistRetries was set to zero');
+});
+
 QUnit.test('true duration < 16 with experimentalBufferBasedABR', function(assert) {
   const mpc = this.masterPlaylistController;
   const nextPlaylist = {id: 'foo', endList: true};