diff --git a/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js b/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js
index 1ee83fe0e7af..888ec37eda0f 100644
--- a/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js
+++ b/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ module.exports = {
                 properties: {
                     max: {
                         type: "integer",
-                        minimum: 0
+                        minimum: 1
                     }
                 },
                 additionalProperties: false
@@ -185,23 +185,7 @@ module.exports = {
             "ExportNamedDeclaration:exit": leaveStatement,
             "ExportDefaultDeclaration:exit": leaveStatement,
             "ExportAllDeclaration:exit": leaveStatement,
-            "Program:exit": reportFirstExtraStatementAndClear,
-
-            // For backward compatibility.
-            // Empty blocks should be warned if `{max: 0}` was given.
-            BlockStatement: function reportIfZero(node) {
-                if (maxStatementsPerLine === 0 && node.body.length === 0) {
-                    context.report({
-                        node,
-                        message,
-                        data: {
-                            numberOfStatementsOnThisLine: 0,
-                            maxStatementsPerLine,
-                            statements: "statements",
-                        }
-                    });
-                }
-            }
+            "Program:exit": reportFirstExtraStatementAndClear
         };
     }
 };
diff --git a/tests/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js b/tests/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js
index 279b510fa033..c10ad7110341 100644
--- a/tests/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js
+++ b/tests/lib/rules/max-statements-per-line.js
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ const ruleTester = new RuleTester();
 
 ruleTester.run("max-statements-per-line", rule, {
     valid: [
-        { code: "", options: [{ max: 0 }] },
         { code: "{ }", options: [{ max: 1 }] },
         { code: "var bar = 1;" },
         { code: "var bar = 1;", options: [{ max: 1 }] },
@@ -117,8 +116,8 @@ ruleTester.run("max-statements-per-line", rule, {
         }
     ],
     invalid: [
-        { code: "{ }", options: [{ max: 0 }], errors: [{ message: "This line has 0 statements. Maximum allowed is 0." }] },
-        { code: "var bar = 1;", options: [{ max: 0 }], errors: [{ message: "This line has 1 statement. Maximum allowed is 0." }] },
+        { code: "var foo; var bar;", options: [{ max: 1 }], errors: [{ message: "This line has 2 statements. Maximum allowed is 1." }] },
+        { code: "var bar = 1; var foo = 3;", options: [{ max: 1 }], errors: [{ message: "This line has 2 statements. Maximum allowed is 1." }] },
         { code: "var bar = 1; var baz = 2;", errors: [{ message: "This line has 2 statements. Maximum allowed is 1." }] },
         { code: "var bar = 1; var baz = 2;", options: [{ max: 1 }], errors: [{ message: "This line has 2 statements. Maximum allowed is 1." }] },
         { code: "if (condition) var bar = 1; if (condition) var baz = 2;", options: [{ max: 1 }], errors: [{ message: "This line has 2 statements. Maximum allowed is 1." }] },