diff --git a/core/common/test/InstantTest.kt b/core/common/test/InstantTest.kt
index 4c9814a6..8eb90359 100644
--- a/core/common/test/InstantTest.kt
+++ b/core/common/test/InstantTest.kt
@@ -609,4 +609,13 @@ class InstantRangeTest {
         (maxValidInstant + 1.nanoseconds).until(maxValidInstant, DateTimeUnit.NANOSECOND)
         maxValidInstant.until(maxValidInstant + 1.nanoseconds, DateTimeUnit.NANOSECOND)
     }
+
+    // https://github.com/Kotlin/kotlinx-datetime/issues/263
+    @Test
+    fun addSmallDurationsToLargeInstants() {
+        for (smallDuration in listOf(1.nanoseconds, 999_999.nanoseconds, 1.seconds - 1.nanoseconds)) {
+            assertEquals(expected = Instant.MAX, actual = Instant.MAX + smallDuration)
+            assertEquals(expected = Instant.MIN, actual = Instant.MIN - smallDuration)
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/js/src/Instant.kt b/core/js/src/Instant.kt
index 35faaab9..e754a674 100644
--- a/core/js/src/Instant.kt
+++ b/core/js/src/Instant.kt
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public actual class Instant internal constructor(internal val value: jtInstant)
             Instant(plusFix(seconds.toDouble(), nanoseconds))
         } catch (e: Throwable) {
             if (!e.isJodaDateTimeException()) throw e
-            if (seconds > 0) MAX else MIN
+            if (duration.isPositive()) MAX else MIN
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/native/src/Instant.kt b/core/native/src/Instant.kt
index bada48cb..cfc97c96 100644
--- a/core/native/src/Instant.kt
+++ b/core/native/src/Instant.kt
@@ -159,9 +159,9 @@ public actual class Instant internal constructor(public actual val epochSeconds:
         try {
             plus(secondsToAdd, nanosecondsToAdd.toLong())
         } catch (e: IllegalArgumentException) {
-            if (secondsToAdd > 0) MAX else MIN
+            if (duration.isPositive()) MAX else MIN
         } catch (e: ArithmeticException) {
-            if (secondsToAdd > 0) MAX else MIN
+            if (duration.isPositive()) MAX else MIN
         }
     }