.BR soft
 limit is used; if the requested time limit exceedes the
 .BR hard
-limit, an "Unwilling to perform" is returned.
+limit, an "Administrative limit exceeded" is returned.
 If the
 .BR hard
 limit is set to 0 or to the keyword "soft", the soft limit is used 
 .BR soft
 limit is used; if the requested size limit exceedes the
 .BR hard
-limit, an "Unwilling to perform" is returned.
+limit, an "Administrative limit exceeded" is returned.
 If the 
 .BR hard
 limit is set to 0 or to the keyword "soft", the soft limit is used 
 
                /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
                } else if ( tlimit > limit->lms_t_hard ) {
                        /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-                       if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0 && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
+                       if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0
+                                       && limit->lms_t_soft > -1
+                                       && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
                                tlimit = limit->lms_t_soft;
 
                        /* positive hard limit means abort */
                        } else if ( limit->lms_t_hard > 0 ) {
                                send_search_result( conn, op, 
-                                               LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                                               LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                                NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 );
                                rc = 0;
                                goto done;
                /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
                } else if ( slimit > limit->lms_s_hard ) {
                        /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-                       if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0 && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
+                       if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0
+                                       && limit->lms_s_soft > -1
+                                       && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
                                slimit = limit->lms_s_soft;
 
                        /* positive hard limit means abort */
                        } else if ( limit->lms_s_hard > 0 ) {
                                send_search_result( conn, op, 
-                                               LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                                               LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                                NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 );
                                rc = 0; 
                                goto done;
 
        /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
        if ( !isroot && tlimit > limit->lms_t_hard ) {
                /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-               if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0 && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
+               if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0
+                               && limit->lms_t_soft > -1
+                               && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
                        tlimit = limit->lms_t_soft;
                        
                /* positive hard limit means abort */
                } else if ( limit->lms_t_hard > 0 ) {
-                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                        NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL );
                        rc = 0;
                        goto finish;
        /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
        if ( !isroot && slimit > limit->lms_s_hard ) {
                /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-               if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0 && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
+               if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0
+                               && limit->lms_s_soft > -1
+                               && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
                        slimit = limit->lms_s_soft;
                        
                /* positive hard limit means abort */
                } else if ( limit->lms_s_hard > 0 ) {
-                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                        NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL );
                        rc = 0;
                        goto finish;
 
                /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
                } else if ( tlimit > limit->lms_t_hard ) {
                        /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-                       if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0 && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
+                       if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0
+                                       && limit->lms_t_soft > -1
+                                       && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
                                tlimit = limit->lms_t_soft;
                        
                        /* positive hard limit means abort */
                        } else if ( limit->lms_t_hard > 0 ) {
                                send_search_result( conn, op, 
-                                               LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                                               LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                                NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 );
                                rc = 0; 
                                goto done;
                /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
                } else if ( slimit > limit->lms_s_hard ) {
                        /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-                       if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0 && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
+                       if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0
+                                       && limit->lms_s_soft > -1
+                                       && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
                                slimit = limit->lms_s_soft;
 
                        /* positive hard limit means abort */
                        } else if ( limit->lms_s_hard > 0 ) {
                                send_search_result( conn, op,
-                                               LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                                               LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                                NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 );
                                rc = 0;
                                goto done;
 
        /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
        if ( !isroot && tlimit > limit->lms_t_hard ) {
                /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-               if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0 && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
+               if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0
+                               && limit->lms_t_soft > -1
+                               && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
                        tlimit = limit->lms_t_soft;
                        
                /* positive hard limit means abort */
                } else if ( limit->lms_t_hard > 0 ) {
-                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                        NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL );
                        rc = 0;
                        goto finish;
        /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
        if ( !isroot && slimit > limit->lms_s_hard ) {
                /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-               if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0 && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
+               if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0
+                               && limit->lms_s_soft > -1
+                               && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
                        slimit = limit->lms_s_soft;
                        
                /* positive hard limit means abort */
                } else if ( limit->lms_s_hard > 0 ) {
-                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                       send_ldap_result( conn, op, LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                        NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL );
                        rc = 0;
                        goto finish;
 
                /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
                } else if ( tlimit > limit->lms_t_hard ) {
                        /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-                       if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0 && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
+                       if ( limit->lms_t_hard == 0
+                                       && limit->lms_t_soft > -1
+                                       && tlimit > limit->lms_t_soft ) {
                                tlimit = limit->lms_t_soft;
 
                        /* positive hard limit means abort */
                        } else if ( limit->lms_t_hard > 0 ) {
                                send_search_result( conn, op, 
-                                               LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                                               LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                                NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 );
                                return 0;
                        }
                /* if requested limit higher than hard limit, abort */
                } else if ( slimit > limit->lms_s_hard ) {
                        /* no hard limit means use soft instead */
-                       if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0 && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
+                       if ( limit->lms_s_hard == 0
+                                       && limit->lms_s_soft > -1
+                                       && slimit > limit->lms_s_soft ) {
                                slimit = limit->lms_s_soft;
 
                        /* positive hard limit means abort */
                        } else if ( limit->lms_s_hard > 0 ) {
                                send_search_result( conn, op, 
-                                               LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
+                                               LDAP_ADMINLIMIT_EXCEEDED,
                                                NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 );
                                return 0;
                        }
 
        } else if ( strcasecmp( pattern, "users" ) == 0 ) {
                type = SLAP_LIMITS_USERS;
                
-       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "dn", 2 ) == 0 ) {
+       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "dn", sizeof( "dn") - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                pattern += 2;
                if ( pattern[0] == '.' ) {
                        pattern++;
-                       if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "exact", 5 ) == 0 ) {
+                       if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "exact", sizeof( "exact" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                type = SLAP_LIMITS_EXACT;
                                pattern += 5;
 
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "base", 4 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "base", sizeof( "base " ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                type = SLAP_LIMITS_BASE;
                                pattern += 4;
 
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "one", 3 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "one", sizeof( "one" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                type = SLAP_LIMITS_ONE;
                                pattern += 3;
 
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "subtree", 7 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "subtree", sizeof( "subtree" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                type = SLAP_LIMITS_SUBTREE;
                                pattern += 7;
 
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "children", 8 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "children", sizeof( "children" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                type = SLAP_LIMITS_CHILDREN;
                                pattern += 8;
 
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "regex", 5 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "regex", sizeof( "regex" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                type = SLAP_LIMITS_REGEX;
                                pattern += 5;
 
                         * this could be deprecated in favour
                         * of the pattern = "anonymous" form
                         */
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "anonymous", 9 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( pattern, "anonymous", sizeof( "anonymous" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                type = SLAP_LIMITS_ANONYMOUS;
                                pattern = NULL;
                        }
        /*
         * sanity checks ...
         */
-       if ( limit.lms_t_hard > 0 && limit.lms_t_hard < limit.lms_t_soft ) {
+       if ( limit.lms_t_hard > 0 && 
+                       ( limit.lms_t_hard < limit.lms_t_soft 
+                         || limit.lms_t_soft == -1 ) ) {
                limit.lms_t_hard = limit.lms_t_soft;
        }
        
-       if ( limit.lms_s_hard > 0 && limit.lms_s_hard < limit.lms_s_soft ) {
+       if ( limit.lms_s_hard > 0 && 
+                       ( limit.lms_s_hard < limit.lms_s_soft 
+                         || limit.lms_s_soft == -1 ) ) {
                limit.lms_s_hard = limit.lms_s_soft;
        }
        
        assert( arg );
        assert( limit );
 
-       if ( strncasecmp( arg, "time", 4 ) == 0 ) {
+       if ( strncasecmp( arg, "time", sizeof( "time" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                arg += 4;
 
                if ( arg[0] == '.' ) {
                        arg++;
-                       if ( strncasecmp( arg, "soft", 4 ) == 0 ) {
+                       if ( strncasecmp( arg, "soft", sizeof( "soft" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                arg += 4;
                                if ( arg[0] != '=' ) {
                                        return( 1 );
                                }
                                arg++;
-                               limit->lms_t_soft = atoi( arg );
+                               if ( strcasecmp( arg, "none" ) == 0 ) {
+                                       limit->lms_t_soft = -1;
+                               } else {
+                                       char    *next = NULL;
+
+                                       limit->lms_t_soft = 
+                                               strtol( arg, &next, 10 );
+                                       if ( next == arg || limit->lms_t_soft < -1 ) {
+                                               return( 1 );
+                                       }
+                               }
                                
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "hard", 4 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "hard", sizeof( "hard" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                arg += 4;
                                if ( arg[0] != '=' ) {
                                        return( 1 );
                                } else if ( strcasecmp( arg, "none" ) == 0 ) {
                                        limit->lms_t_hard = -1;
                                } else {
-                                       limit->lms_t_hard = atoi( arg );
+                                       char    *next = NULL;
+
+                                       limit->lms_t_hard = 
+                                               strtol( arg, &next, 10 );
+                                       if ( next == arg || limit->lms_t_hard < -1 ) {
+                                               return( 1 );
+                                       }
                                }
                                
                        } else {
                        }
                        
                } else if ( arg[0] == '=' ) {
+                       char    *next = NULL;
+
                        arg++;
-                       limit->lms_t_soft = atoi( arg );
+                       limit->lms_t_soft = strtol( arg, &next, 10 );
+                       if ( next == arg || limit->lms_t_soft < -1 ) {
+                               return( 1 );
+                       }
                        limit->lms_t_hard = 0;
                        
                } else {
                        return( 1 );
                }
 
-       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "size", 4 ) == 0 ) {
+       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "size", sizeof( "size" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                arg += 4;
                
                if ( arg[0] == '.' ) {
                        arg++;
-                       if ( strncasecmp( arg, "soft", 4 ) == 0 ) {
+                       if ( strncasecmp( arg, "soft", sizeof( "soft" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                arg += 4;
                                if ( arg[0] != '=' ) {
                                        return( 1 );
                                }
                                arg++;
-                               limit->lms_s_soft = atoi( arg );
+                               if ( strcasecmp( arg, "none" ) == 0 ) {
+                                       limit->lms_s_soft = -1;
+                               } else {
+                                       char    *next = NULL;
+
+                                       limit->lms_s_soft = 
+                                               strtol( arg, &next, 10 );
+                                       if ( next == arg || limit->lms_s_soft < -1 ) {
+                                               return( 1 );
+                                       }
+                               }
                                
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "hard", 4 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "hard", sizeof( "hard" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                arg += 4;
                                if ( arg[0] != '=' ) {
                                        return( 1 );
                                } else if ( strcasecmp( arg, "none" ) == 0 ) {
                                        limit->lms_s_hard = -1;
                                } else {
-                                       limit->lms_s_hard = atoi( arg );
+                                       char    *next = NULL;
+
+                                       limit->lms_s_hard = 
+                                               strtol( arg, &next, 10 );
+                                       if ( next == arg || limit->lms_s_hard < -1 ) {
+                                               return( 1 );
+                                       }
                                }
                                
-                       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "unchecked", 9 ) == 0 ) {
+                       } else if ( strncasecmp( arg, "unchecked", sizeof( "unchecked" ) - 1 ) == 0 ) {
                                arg += 9;
                                if ( arg[0] != '=' ) {
                                        return( 1 );
                                if ( strcasecmp( arg, "none" ) == 0 ) {
                                        limit->lms_s_unchecked = -1;
                                } else {
-                                       limit->lms_s_unchecked = atoi( arg );
+                                       char    *next = NULL;
+
+                                       limit->lms_s_unchecked = 
+                                               strtol( arg, &next, 10 );
+                                       if ( next == arg || limit->lms_s_unchecked < -1 ) {
+                                               return( 1 );
+                                       }
                                }
                                
                        } else {
                        }
                        
                } else if ( arg[0] == '=' ) {
+                       char    *next = NULL;
+
                        arg++;
-                       limit->lms_s_soft = atoi( arg );
+                       limit->lms_s_soft = strtol( arg, &next, 10 );
+                       if ( next == arg || limit->lms_s_soft < -1 ) {
+                               return( 1 );
+                       }
                        limit->lms_s_hard = 0;
                        
                } else {