diff --git a/src/org/andengine/engine/handler/timer/TimerHandler.java b/src/org/andengine/engine/handler/timer/TimerHandler.java
index bb7b16990..1b1f680f6 100644
--- a/src/org/andengine/engine/handler/timer/TimerHandler.java
+++ b/src/org/andengine/engine/handler/timer/TimerHandler.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public TimerHandler(final float pTimerSeconds, final ITimerCallback pTimerCallba
 	}
 
 	public TimerHandler(final float pTimerSeconds, final boolean pAutoReset, final ITimerCallback pTimerCallback) {
-		if(pTimerSeconds <= 0){
+		if(pTimerSeconds < 0){
 			throw new IllegalStateException("pTimerSeconds must be >= 0!");
 		}
 
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ public void setAutoReset(final boolean pAutoReset) {
 	}
 
 	public void setTimerSeconds(final float pTimerSeconds) {
+		if(pTimerSeconds < 0){
+			throw new IllegalStateException("pTimerSeconds must be >= 0!");
+		}
+
 		this.mTimerSeconds = pTimerSeconds;
 	}