diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
index 5770adcac6..9eebfd268a 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 
+	"math"
+
 	apiequality "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/equality"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	apimachineryvalidation "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/validation"
@@ -2188,8 +2190,11 @@ func ValidatePodSpec(spec *api.PodSpec, fldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
 	}
 
 	if spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds != nil {
-		if *spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds <= 0 {
-			allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(fldPath.Child("activeDeadlineSeconds"), spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds, "must be greater than 0"))
+		if spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds != nil {
+			value := *spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds
+			if value < 1 || value > math.MaxUint32 {
+				allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(fldPath.Child("activeDeadlineSeconds"), value, validation.InclusiveRangeError(1, math.MaxUint32)))
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -2575,8 +2580,8 @@ func ValidatePodUpdate(newPod, oldPod *api.Pod) field.ErrorList {
 	// 2.  from a positive value to a lesser, non-negative value
 	if newPod.Spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds != nil {
 		newActiveDeadlineSeconds := *newPod.Spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds
-		if newActiveDeadlineSeconds < 0 {
-			allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(specPath.Child("activeDeadlineSeconds"), newActiveDeadlineSeconds, isNegativeErrorMsg))
+		if newActiveDeadlineSeconds < 0 || newActiveDeadlineSeconds > math.MaxUint32 {
+			allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Invalid(specPath.Child("activeDeadlineSeconds"), newActiveDeadlineSeconds, validation.InclusiveRangeError(0, math.MaxUint32)))
 			return allErrs
 		}
 		if oldPod.Spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
index 1d8044debb..671e2de5f8 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package validation
 
 import (
+	"math"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -3442,6 +3443,7 @@ func TestValidateDNSPolicy(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestValidatePodSpec(t *testing.T) {
 	activeDeadlineSeconds := int64(30)
+	activeDeadlineSecondsMax := int64(math.MaxUint32)
 
 	minUserID := types.UnixUserID(0)
 	maxUserID := types.UnixUserID(2147483647)
@@ -3470,6 +3472,21 @@ func TestValidatePodSpec(t *testing.T) {
 			ActiveDeadlineSeconds: &activeDeadlineSeconds,
 			ServiceAccountName:    "acct",
 		},
+		{ // Populate all fields with larger active deadline.
+			Volumes: []api.Volume{
+				{Name: "vol", VolumeSource: api.VolumeSource{EmptyDir: &api.EmptyDirVolumeSource{}}},
+			},
+			Containers:     []api.Container{{Name: "ctr", Image: "image", ImagePullPolicy: "IfNotPresent", TerminationMessagePolicy: "File"}},
+			InitContainers: []api.Container{{Name: "ictr", Image: "iimage", ImagePullPolicy: "IfNotPresent", TerminationMessagePolicy: "File"}},
+			RestartPolicy:  api.RestartPolicyAlways,
+			NodeSelector: map[string]string{
+				"key": "value",
+			},
+			NodeName:              "foobar",
+			DNSPolicy:             api.DNSClusterFirst,
+			ActiveDeadlineSeconds: &activeDeadlineSecondsMax,
+			ServiceAccountName:    "acct",
+		},
 		{ // Populate HostNetwork.
 			Containers: []api.Container{
 				{Name: "ctr", Image: "image", ImagePullPolicy: "IfNotPresent", TerminationMessagePolicy: "File",
@@ -3542,6 +3559,7 @@ func TestValidatePodSpec(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	activeDeadlineSeconds = int64(0)
+	activeDeadlineSecondsTooLarge := int64(math.MaxUint32 + 1)
 
 	minUserID = types.UnixUserID(-1)
 	maxUserID = types.UnixUserID(2147483648)
@@ -3683,6 +3701,19 @@ func TestValidatePodSpec(t *testing.T) {
 			DNSPolicy:             api.DNSClusterFirst,
 			ActiveDeadlineSeconds: &activeDeadlineSeconds,
 		},
+		"active-deadline-seconds-too-large": {
+			Volumes: []api.Volume{
+				{Name: "vol", VolumeSource: api.VolumeSource{EmptyDir: &api.EmptyDirVolumeSource{}}},
+			},
+			Containers:    []api.Container{{Name: "ctr", Image: "image", ImagePullPolicy: "IfNotPresent", TerminationMessagePolicy: "File"}},
+			RestartPolicy: api.RestartPolicyAlways,
+			NodeSelector: map[string]string{
+				"key": "value",
+			},
+			NodeName:              "foobar",
+			DNSPolicy:             api.DNSClusterFirst,
+			ActiveDeadlineSeconds: &activeDeadlineSecondsTooLarge,
+		},
 		"bad nodeName": {
 			NodeName:      "node name",
 			Volumes:       []api.Volume{{Name: "vol", VolumeSource: api.VolumeSource{EmptyDir: &api.EmptyDirVolumeSource{}}}},