diff --git a/cadc-tap-server/build.gradle b/cadc-tap-server/build.gradle
index 692ff9fd..8c81ba65 100644
--- a/cadc-tap-server/build.gradle
+++ b/cadc-tap-server/build.gradle
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ sourceCompatibility = 1.8
 
 group = 'org.opencadc'
 
-version = '1.1.25'
+version = '1.1.26'
 
 description = 'OpenCADC TAP-1.1 tap server library'
 def git_url = 'https://github.com/opencadc/tap'
diff --git a/cadc-tap-server/src/main/java/ca/nrc/cadc/tap/QueryRunner.java b/cadc-tap-server/src/main/java/ca/nrc/cadc/tap/QueryRunner.java
index 56f0480d..903b3706 100644
--- a/cadc-tap-server/src/main/java/ca/nrc/cadc/tap/QueryRunner.java
+++ b/cadc-tap-server/src/main/java/ca/nrc/cadc/tap/QueryRunner.java
@@ -331,8 +331,12 @@ private void doIt()
             TapQuery query = pfac.getTapQuery();
             query.setTapSchema(tapSchema);
             query.setExtraTables(tableDescs);
-            if (maxRows != null)
+            if (maxRows != null) {
+                if (maxRows == Integer.MAX_VALUE) {
+                    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid MAXREC: " + maxRows + " (max " + (Integer.MAX_VALUE - 1) + ")");
+                }
                 query.setMaxRowCount(maxRows + 1); // +1 so the TableWriter can detect overflow
+            }
 
             log.debug("invoking TapQuery implementation: " + query.getClass().getCanonicalName());
             String sql = query.getSQL();