diff --git a/src/liblzma/api/lzma/base.h b/src/liblzma/api/lzma/base.h
index 7a31a42..a6005ac 100644
--- a/src/liblzma/api/lzma/base.h
+++ b/src/liblzma/api/lzma/base.h
@@ -644,11 +644,16 @@
  * This function is supported only when *strm has been initialized with
  * a function that takes a memlimit argument.
  *
+ * liblzma 5.2.3 and earlier has a bug where memlimit value of 0 causes
+ * this function to do nothing (leaving the limit unchanged) and still
+ * return LZMA_OK. Later versions treat 0 as if 1 had been specified (so
+ * lzma_memlimit_get() will return 1 even if you specify 0 here).
+ *
  * \return      - LZMA_OK: New memory usage limit successfully set.
  *              - LZMA_MEMLIMIT_ERROR: The new limit is too small.
  *                The limit was not changed.
  *              - LZMA_PROG_ERROR: Invalid arguments, e.g. *strm doesn't
- *                support memory usage limit or memlimit was zero.
+ *                support memory usage limit.
  */
 extern LZMA_API(lzma_ret) lzma_memlimit_set(
 		lzma_stream *strm, uint64_t memlimit) lzma_nothrow;
diff --git a/src/liblzma/common/auto_decoder.c b/src/liblzma/common/auto_decoder.c
index 479b150..6895c7c 100644
--- a/src/liblzma/common/auto_decoder.c
+++ b/src/liblzma/common/auto_decoder.c
@@ -139,7 +139,10 @@
 		// the current memory usage.
 		*memusage = LZMA_MEMUSAGE_BASE;
 		*old_memlimit = coder->memlimit;
+
 		ret = LZMA_OK;
+		if (new_memlimit != 0 && new_memlimit < *memusage)
+			ret = LZMA_MEMLIMIT_ERROR;
 	}
 
 	if (ret == LZMA_OK && new_memlimit != 0)
diff --git a/src/liblzma/common/common.c b/src/liblzma/common/common.c
index 28aa2b7..57e3f8e 100644
--- a/src/liblzma/common/common.c
+++ b/src/liblzma/common/common.c
@@ -435,8 +435,10 @@
 			|| strm->internal->next.memconfig == NULL)
 		return LZMA_PROG_ERROR;
 
-	if (new_memlimit != 0 && new_memlimit < LZMA_MEMUSAGE_BASE)
-		return LZMA_MEMLIMIT_ERROR;
+	// Zero is a special value that cannot be used as an actual limit.
+	// If 0 was specified, use 1 instead.
+	if (new_memlimit == 0)
+		new_memlimit = 1;
 
 	return strm->internal->next.memconfig(strm->internal->next.coder,
 			&memusage, &old_memlimit, new_memlimit);