diff --git a/mediaapi/routing/upload.go b/mediaapi/routing/upload.go
index bc0d206b9..ada02b11e 100644
--- a/mediaapi/routing/upload.go
+++ b/mediaapi/routing/upload.go
@@ -147,18 +147,6 @@ func (r *uploadRequest) doUpload(
 	//   r.storeFileAndMetadata(ctx, tmpDir, ...)
 	// before you return from doUpload else we will leak a temp file. We could make this nicer with a `WithTransaction` style of
 	// nested function to guarantee either storage or cleanup.
-
-	// should not happen, but prevents any int overflows
-	if cfg.MaxFileSizeBytes != nil && *cfg.MaxFileSizeBytes+1 <= 0 {
-		r.Logger.WithFields(log.Fields{
-			"MaxFileSizeBytes": *cfg.MaxFileSizeBytes + 1,
-		}).Error("Error while transferring file, configured max_file_size_bytes overflows int64")
-		return &util.JSONResponse{
-			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
-			JSON: jsonerror.Unknown("Failed to upload"),
-		}
-	}
-
 	lr := io.LimitReader(reqReader, int64(*cfg.MaxFileSizeBytes)+1)
 	hash, bytesWritten, tmpDir, err := fileutils.WriteTempFile(ctx, lr, cfg.AbsBasePath)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/setup/config/config_mediaapi.go b/setup/config/config_mediaapi.go
index 0943a39e2..660a508d5 100644
--- a/setup/config/config_mediaapi.go
+++ b/setup/config/config_mediaapi.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"math"
 )
 
 type MediaAPI struct {
@@ -58,11 +57,6 @@ func (c *MediaAPI) Verify(configErrs *ConfigErrors, isMonolith bool) {
 	checkNotEmpty(configErrs, "media_api.database.connection_string", string(c.Database.ConnectionString))
 
 	checkNotEmpty(configErrs, "media_api.base_path", string(c.BasePath))
-	// allow "unlimited" file size
-	if c.MaxFileSizeBytes != nil && *c.MaxFileSizeBytes <= 0 {
-		unlimitedSize := FileSizeBytes(math.MaxInt64 - 1)
-		c.MaxFileSizeBytes = &unlimitedSize
-	}
 	checkPositive(configErrs, "media_api.max_file_size_bytes", int64(*c.MaxFileSizeBytes))
 	checkPositive(configErrs, "media_api.max_thumbnail_generators", int64(c.MaxThumbnailGenerators))