diff --git a/usr/initiator.c b/usr/initiator.c
index 1c9d8b6..70c873b 100644
--- a/usr/initiator.c
+++ b/usr/initiator.c
@@ -368,9 +368,10 @@ iscsi_copy_operational_params(iscsi_conn_t *conn)
 	/* zero indicates to use the target's value */
 	conn->max_xmit_dlength =
 			__padding(conn_rec->iscsi.MaxXmitDataSegmentLength);
-	if (conn->max_xmit_dlength != 0 &&
-	    (conn->max_xmit_dlength < ISCSI_MIN_MAX_RECV_SEG_LEN ||
-	     conn->max_xmit_dlength > ISCSI_MAX_MAX_RECV_SEG_LEN)) {
+	if (conn->max_xmit_dlength == 0)
+		conn->max_xmit_dlength = ISCSI_DEF_MAX_RECV_SEG_LEN;
+	if (conn->max_xmit_dlength < ISCSI_MIN_MAX_RECV_SEG_LEN ||
+	    conn->max_xmit_dlength > ISCSI_MAX_MAX_RECV_SEG_LEN) {
 		log_error("Invalid iscsi.MaxXmitDataSegmentLength. Must be "
 			 "within %u and %u. Setting to %u\n",
 			  ISCSI_MIN_MAX_RECV_SEG_LEN,
diff --git a/usr/login.c b/usr/login.c
index 4f891de..be19b9e 100644
--- a/usr/login.c
+++ b/usr/login.c
@@ -390,9 +390,14 @@ get_op_params_text_keys(iscsi_session_t *session, int cid,
 		if (session->type == ISCSI_SESSION_TYPE_DISCOVERY ||
 		    !session->t->template->rdma) {
 			int tgt_max_xmit;
+			conn_rec_t *conn_rec = &session->nrec.conn[cid];
 
 			tgt_max_xmit = strtoul(value, NULL, 0);
-			if (conn->max_xmit_dlength == 0 ||
+			/*
+			 * if the rec value is zero it means to use
+			 * what the target gave us.
+			 */
+			if (!conn_rec->iscsi.MaxXmitDataSegmentLength ||
 			    tgt_max_xmit < conn->max_xmit_dlength)
 				conn->max_xmit_dlength = tgt_max_xmit;
 		}
-- 
1.6.6.1