diff --git a/linkcheck/Config.py b/linkcheck/Config.py
index 90bb86c2..90399f1f 100644
--- a/linkcheck/Config.py
+++ b/linkcheck/Config.py
@@ -483,8 +483,6 @@ class Configuration (UserDict.UserDict):
         except ConfigParser.Error, msg: debug(NIGHTMARE, msg)
         try:
             num = cfgparser.getint(section, "recursionlevel")
-            if num<0:
-                error(i18n._("illegal recursionlevel number %d") % num)
             self["recursionlevel"] = num
         except ConfigParser.Error, msg: debug(NIGHTMARE, msg)
         try: 
diff --git a/linkcheck/UrlData.py b/linkcheck/UrlData.py
index 6facf639..3470978a 100644
--- a/linkcheck/UrlData.py
+++ b/linkcheck/UrlData.py
@@ -330,7 +330,8 @@ class UrlData:
         return self.valid and \
                self.isHtml() and \
                not self.cached and \
-               self.recursionLevel < self.config["recursionlevel"] and \
+               (self.config["recursionlevel"] >= 0 and
+                self.recursionLevel < self.config["recursionlevel"]) and \
                not self.extern[0]
 
 
diff --git a/linkchecker b/linkchecker
index 8a66288c..cba665da 100755
--- a/linkchecker
+++ b/linkchecker
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ For single-letter option arguments the space is not a necessity. So
 -q, --quiet
         Quiet operation. This is only useful with -F.
 -r depth, --recursion-level=depth
-        Check recursively all links up to given depth (depth >= 0).
+        Check recursively all links up to given depth. A negative depth
+        will enable inifinite recursion.
         Default depth is 1.
 -s, --strict
         Check only syntax of extern links, do not try to connect to them.
@@ -323,11 +324,15 @@ for opt,arg in options:
     	config["quiet"] = 1
 
     elif opt=="-r" or opt=="--recursion-level":
+        try:
+            depth = int(arg)
+        except ValueError:
+            printUsage(i18n._("Illegal argument %s for option %s") % \
+                       (`arg`, "'-r, --recursion-level'"))
         if int(arg) >= 0:
             config["recursionlevel"] = int(arg)
         else:
-            printUsage((i18n._("Illegal argument '%s' for option ") % arg) +
-	               "'-r, --recursion-level'")
+            config["recursionlevel"] = -1
     # robots.txt is now default, so ignore this option
     elif opt=="-R" or opt=="--robots-txt": pass
 
diff --git a/linkchecker.1 b/linkchecker.1
index 6a7cc418..50dac572 100644
--- a/linkchecker.1
+++ b/linkchecker.1
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ Default is no pause between requests.
 Quiet operation. This is only useful with \fB-F\fP.
 .TP
 \fB-r \fIdepth\fP, \fB--recursion-level=\fIdepth\fP
-Check recursively all links up to given \fIdepth\fP (depth >= 0).
+Check recursively all links up to given \fIdepth\fP.
+A negative depth will enable inifinite recursion.
 Default depth is 1.
 .TP
 \fB-s\fP, \fB--strict\fP