diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
index ceef6b59ebca..b5f19d85d67b 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
@@ -1688,12 +1688,10 @@ InetAddress getRemoteInetAddress(final int port,
    * @return Maximum time we should run balancer for
    */
   private int getMaxBalancingTime() {
-    int maxBalancingTime = getConfiguration().getInt(HConstants.HBASE_BALANCER_MAX_BALANCING, -1);
-    if (maxBalancingTime == -1) {
-      // if max balancing time isn't set, defaulting it to period time
-      maxBalancingTime = getConfiguration().getInt(HConstants.HBASE_BALANCER_PERIOD,
-        HConstants.DEFAULT_HBASE_BALANCER_PERIOD);
-    }
+    // if max balancing time isn't set, defaulting it to period time
+    int maxBalancingTime = getConfiguration().getInt(HConstants.HBASE_BALANCER_MAX_BALANCING,
+      getConfiguration()
+        .getInt(HConstants.HBASE_BALANCER_PERIOD, HConstants.DEFAULT_HBASE_BALANCER_PERIOD));
     return maxBalancingTime;
   }
 
@@ -1860,11 +1858,14 @@ public List<RegionPlan> executeRegionPlansWithThrottling(List<RegionPlan> plans)
         //rpCount records balance plans processed, does not care if a plan succeeds
         rpCount++;
 
-        balanceThrottling(balanceStartTime + rpCount * balanceInterval, maxRegionsInTransition,
+        if (this.maxBlancingTime > 0) {
+          balanceThrottling(balanceStartTime + rpCount * balanceInterval, maxRegionsInTransition,
             cutoffTime);
+        }
 
         // if performing next balance exceeds cutoff time, exit the loop
-        if (rpCount < plans.size() && System.currentTimeMillis() > cutoffTime) {
+        if (this.maxBlancingTime > 0 && rpCount < plans.size()
+          && System.currentTimeMillis() > cutoffTime) {
           // TODO: After balance, there should not be a cutoff time (keeping it as
           // a security net for now)
           LOG.debug("No more balancing till next balance run; maxBalanceTime="