diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/TransformerConfigLimits.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/TransformerConfigLimits.java
index 4d44b89450..6db250b203 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/TransformerConfigLimits.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/TransformerConfigLimits.java
@@ -179,6 +179,8 @@ public class TransformerConfigLimits extends TransformerPropertyNameExtractor
         int origLevel = getLevel(transformerName, sourceMimetype);
 
         TransformationOptionLimits limits = new TransformationOptionLimits();
+        // Start at the most general limits and then override with more specific values so that
+        // defaults from the most general get used if there is not something more specific.
         for (int level=0; level<origLevel; level++)
         {
               TransformationOptionLimits defaultLimits =
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionLimits.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionLimits.java
index a5401fa8a4..4cdcef01cd 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionLimits.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionLimits.java
@@ -78,8 +78,16 @@ public class TransformationOptionLimits implements Serializable
     }
     
     /**
-     * Defaults values that are set in this object into the
-     * supplied limits.
+     * <b>This method overrides rather than defaults values into the supplied limits</b> (as the
+     * name might suggest), but because of the order in which it is called, this results in the
+     * correct defaults being set.
+     * <p>
+     * A call to this method overrides any values in the supplied limits parameter with those
+     * in this Object. The supplied limits parameter is being gradually built up by initially
+     * setting the most general limits and then more specific values for each level. As a result  
+     * 'default' values from the more general levels will still exist at the end if more specific
+     * ones have not been supplied.
+     * 
      * @param limits to be set
      */
     public void defaultTo(TransformationOptionLimits limits)
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPair.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPair.java
index f721982cfd..1262003793 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPair.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPair.java
@@ -92,7 +92,10 @@ public class TransformationOptionPair implements Serializable
     private void setMax(long max)
     {
         this.max = max;
-        this.limit = -1;
+        if (max >= 0)
+        {
+            this.limit = -1;
+        }
     }
     
     public long getLimit()
@@ -111,8 +114,11 @@ public class TransformationOptionPair implements Serializable
     
     private void setLimit(long limit)
     {
-        this.max = -1;
         this.limit = limit;
+        if (limit >= 0)
+        {
+            this.max = -1;
+        }
     }
     
     public long getValue()
@@ -139,8 +145,16 @@ public class TransformationOptionPair implements Serializable
     }
 
     /**
-     * Defaults values that are set in this pair into the
-     * supplied pair.
+     * <b>This method overrides rather than defaults values into the supplied pair</b> (as the
+     * name might suggest), but because of the order in which it is called, this results in the
+     * correct defaults being set.
+     * <p>
+     * A call to this method overrides any values in the supplied pair parameter with those
+     * in this Object. The supplied pair parameter is being gradually built up by initially
+     * setting the most general values and then more specific values for each level. As a result  
+     * 'default' values from the more general levels will still exist at the end if more specific
+     * ones have not been supplied.
+     * 
      * @param pair to be set
      */
     public void defaultTo(TransformationOptionPair pair)
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPairTest.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPairTest.java
index 8a39cf0075..906a7b9880 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPairTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/TransformationOptionPairTest.java
@@ -131,6 +131,26 @@ public class TransformationOptionPairTest
         assertEquals("Getter did not return set value", value, actual);
     }
     
+    @Test
+    public void testSetMaxClearLimit() throws Exception
+    {
+        long value = 1234;
+        pair.setMax(value, null);
+        pair.setLimit(-1, null);
+        long actual = pair.getMax();
+        assertEquals("Getter did not return set value", value, actual);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testSetLimitClearMax() throws Exception
+    {
+        long value = 1234;
+        pair.setLimit(value, null);
+        pair.setMax(-1, null);
+        long actual = pair.getLimit();
+        assertEquals("Getter did not return set value", value, actual);
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testSetClearSet() throws Exception
     {