diff --git a/nice.c b/nice.c
index 0ef6256..f58a23b 100644
--- a/nice.c
+++ b/nice.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	val += getpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0);
 	if (errno != 0)
 		weprintf("getpriority:");
-	val = MAX(PRIO_MIN, MIN(val, PRIO_MAX));
+	val = MAX(-NZERO, MIN(val, NZERO - 1));
 	if (setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, val) != 0)
 		weprintf("setpriority:");
 
diff --git a/renice.c b/renice.c
index a1ca2b9..f3eca5b 100644
--- a/renice.c
+++ b/renice.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ renice(int which, int who, long adj)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	adj = MAX(PRIO_MIN, MIN(adj, PRIO_MAX));
+	adj = MAX(-NZERO, MIN(adj, NZERO - 1));
 	if(setpriority(which, who, (int)adj) == -1) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "can't set %d nice level: %s\n",
 		        who, strerror(errno));