diff --git a/src/connection-manager/index.ts b/src/connection-manager/index.ts
index 0c40953863..80d041589a 100644
--- a/src/connection-manager/index.ts
+++ b/src/connection-manager/index.ts
@@ -167,12 +167,10 @@ export class DefaultConnectionManager extends EventEmitter<ConnectionManagerEven
 
     this.opts = mergeOptions.call({ ignoreUndefined: true }, defaultOptions, init)
 
-    if (this.opts.maxConnections < this.opts.minConnections) {
-      throw errCode(new Error('Connection Manager maxConnections must be greater than minConnections'), codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
-    }
-
     log('options: %o', this.opts)
 
+    this.validateLimits()
+
     this.components = components
 
     /**
@@ -352,6 +350,20 @@ export class DefaultConnectionManager extends EventEmitter<ConnectionManagerEven
       })
   }
 
+  validateLimits () {
+    if (this.opts.minConnections < 0 || !Number.isInteger(this.opts.minConnections)) {
+      throw errCode(new Error('Connection Manager minConnections must be a positive integer'), codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
+    }
+
+    if (this.opts.maxConnections < 0 || !Number.isInteger(this.opts.maxConnections)) {
+      throw errCode(new Error('Connection Manager maxConnections must be a positive integer'), codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
+    }
+
+    if (this.opts.maxConnections < this.opts.minConnections) {
+      throw errCode(new Error('Connection Manager maxConnections must be greater than minConnections'), codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
+    }
+  }
+
   async beforeStop () {
     // if we are still dialing KEEP_ALIVE peers, abort those dials
     this.connectOnStartupController?.abort()
diff --git a/test/connection-manager/index.spec.ts b/test/connection-manager/index.spec.ts
index b5668b2148..dbfe056cfe 100644
--- a/test/connection-manager/index.spec.ts
+++ b/test/connection-manager/index.spec.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import type { Dialer } from '@libp2p/interface-connection-manager'
 import type { Connection } from '@libp2p/interface-connection'
 import type { Upgrader } from '@libp2p/interface-transport'
 import type { PeerStore } from '@libp2p/interface-peer-store'
+import { codes } from '../../src/errors.js'
 
 const defaultOptions = {
   maxConnections: 10,
@@ -198,6 +199,42 @@ describe('Connection Manager', () => {
     expect(spy).to.have.property('callCount', 1)
   })
 
+  it('should fail if the connection manager has negative maxConnections limit', async () => {
+    await expect(createNode({
+      config: createBaseOptions({
+        connectionManager: { maxConnections: -5 }
+      }),
+      started: false
+    })).to.eventually.rejected('maxConnections must be greater than 0').with.property('code', codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
+  })
+
+  it('should fail if the connection manager has negative minConnections limit', async () => {
+    await expect(createNode({
+      config: createBaseOptions({
+        connectionManager: { minConnections: -5 }
+      }),
+      started: false
+    })).to.eventually.rejected('minConnections must be greater than 0').with.property('code', codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
+  })
+
+  it('should fail if the connection manager has non-integer maxConnections limit', async () => {
+    await expect(createNode({
+      config: createBaseOptions({
+        connectionManager: { maxConnections: 1.5 }
+      }),
+      started: false
+    })).to.eventually.rejected('maxConnections must be an integer').with.property('code', codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
+  })
+
+  it('should fail if the connection manager has non-integer minConnections limit', async () => {
+    await expect(createNode({
+      config: createBaseOptions({
+        connectionManager: { minConnections: 1.5 }
+      }),
+      started: false
+    })).to.eventually.rejected('minConnections must be an integer').with.property('code', codes.ERR_INVALID_PARAMETERS)
+  })
+
   it('should fail if the connection manager has mismatched connection limit options', async () => {
     await expect(createNode({
       config: createBaseOptions({