diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py b/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
index be879caf0..c076a2f20 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -111,6 +111,60 @@ def test_submit_api(shutdown_only):
     assert ray.get([id1, id2, id3, id4]) == [0, 1, "test", 2]
 
 
+def test_invalid_arguments(shutdown_only):
+    ray.init(num_cpus=2)
+
+    for opt in [np.random.randint(-100, -1), np.random.uniform(0, 1)]:
+        with pytest.raises(
+                ValueError,
+                match="The keyword 'num_return_vals' only accepts 0 or a"
+                " positive integer"):
+
+            @ray.remote(num_return_vals=opt)
+            def g1():
+                return 1
+
+    for opt in [np.random.randint(-100, -2), np.random.uniform(0, 1)]:
+        with pytest.raises(
+                ValueError,
+                match="The keyword 'max_retries' only accepts 0, -1 or a"
+                " positive integer"):
+
+            @ray.remote(max_retries=opt)
+            def g2():
+                return 1
+
+    for opt in [np.random.randint(-100, -1), np.random.uniform(0, 1)]:
+        with pytest.raises(
+                ValueError,
+                match="The keyword 'max_calls' only accepts 0 or a positive"
+                " integer"):
+
+            @ray.remote(max_calls=opt)
+            def g3():
+                return 1
+
+    for opt in [np.random.randint(-100, -2), np.random.uniform(0, 1)]:
+        with pytest.raises(
+                ValueError,
+                match="The keyword 'max_restarts' only accepts -1, 0 or a"
+                " positive integer"):
+
+            @ray.remote(max_restarts=opt)
+            class A1:
+                x = 1
+
+    for opt in [np.random.randint(-100, -2), np.random.uniform(0, 1)]:
+        with pytest.raises(
+                ValueError,
+                match="The keyword 'max_task_retries' only accepts -1, 0 or a"
+                " positive integer"):
+
+            @ray.remote(max_task_retries=opt)
+            class A2:
+                x = 1
+
+
 def test_many_fractional_resources(shutdown_only):
     ray.init(num_cpus=2, num_gpus=2, resources={"Custom": 2})
 
diff --git a/python/ray/worker.py b/python/ray/worker.py
index a0a6ec849..6f87e373e 100644
--- a/python/ray/worker.py
+++ b/python/ray/worker.py
@@ -1665,7 +1665,21 @@ def make_decorator(num_return_vals=None,
             if max_task_retries is not None:
                 raise ValueError("The keyword 'max_task_retries' is not "
                                  "allowed for remote functions.")
-
+            if num_return_vals is not None and (not isinstance(
+                    num_return_vals, int) or num_return_vals < 0):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "The keyword 'num_return_vals' only accepts 0 or a"
+                    " positive integer")
+            if max_retries is not None and (not isinstance(max_retries, int)
+                                            or max_retries < -1):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "The keyword 'max_retries' only accepts 0, -1 or a"
+                    " positive integer")
+            if max_calls is not None and (not isinstance(max_calls, int)
+                                          or max_calls < 0):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "The keyword 'max_calls' only accepts 0 or a positive"
+                    " integer")
             return ray.remote_function.RemoteFunction(
                 Language.PYTHON, function_or_class, None, num_cpus, num_gpus,
                 memory, object_store_memory, resources, num_return_vals,
@@ -1679,7 +1693,16 @@ def make_decorator(num_return_vals=None,
             if max_calls is not None:
                 raise TypeError("The keyword 'max_calls' is not "
                                 "allowed for actors.")
-
+            if max_restarts is not None and (not isinstance(max_restarts, int)
+                                             or max_restarts < -1):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "The keyword 'max_restarts' only accepts -1, 0 or a"
+                    " positive integer")
+            if max_task_retries is not None and (not isinstance(
+                    max_task_retries, int) or max_task_retries < -1):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "The keyword 'max_task_retries' only accepts -1, 0 or a"
+                    " positive integer")
             return ray.actor.make_actor(function_or_class, num_cpus, num_gpus,
                                         memory, object_store_memory, resources,
                                         max_restarts, max_task_retries)