diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 1b74a56b4..7699ee1cc 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -2279,7 +2279,7 @@ int src;
     } else if (src == SET_IN_SYS && match_varname(buf, "MAXPLAYERS", 10)) {
         n = atoi(bufp);
         /* XXX to get more than 25, need to rewrite all lock code */
-        if (n < 1 || n > 25) {
+        if (n < 0 || n > 25) {
             raw_printf("Illegal value in MAXPLAYERS (maximum is 25).");
             return 0;
         }
diff --git a/sys/unix/sysconf b/sys/unix/sysconf
index 83d33d466..1bed4487f 100644
--- a/sys/unix/sysconf
+++ b/sys/unix/sysconf
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ EXPLORERS=*
 #SHELLERS=
 
 # Limit the number of simultaneous games (see also nethack.sh).
+# Valid values are 0-25.
+# Commenting this out or setting the value to 0 constructs lock files
+# with UID and username, so each user may have one game at a time, but
+# number of different players is not limited.
+# Setting this to any other value constructs the lock files with
+# letter and "lock" (eg. alock, block, ...)
 MAXPLAYERS=10
 
 # If not null, added to string "To get local support, " in the support