diff --git a/crates/dump/src/reader/compat/v5_to_v6.rs b/crates/dump/src/reader/compat/v5_to_v6.rs
index b4a4fcb24..14570c258 100644
--- a/crates/dump/src/reader/compat/v5_to_v6.rs
+++ b/crates/dump/src/reader/compat/v5_to_v6.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::num::NonZeroUsize;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 
 use super::v4_to_v5::{CompatIndexV4ToV5, CompatV4ToV5};
@@ -388,7 +389,13 @@ impl<T> From<v5::Settings<T>> for v6::Settings<v6::Unchecked> {
             },
             pagination: match settings.pagination {
                 v5::Setting::Set(pagination) => v6::Setting::Set(v6::PaginationSettings {
-                    max_total_hits: pagination.max_total_hits.into(),
+                    max_total_hits: match pagination.max_total_hits {
+                        v5::Setting::Set(max_total_hits) => v6::Setting::Set(
+                            max_total_hits.try_into().unwrap_or(NonZeroUsize::new(1).unwrap()),
+                        ),
+                        v5::Setting::Reset => v6::Setting::Reset,
+                        v5::Setting::NotSet => v6::Setting::NotSet,
+                    },
                 }),
                 v5::Setting::Reset => v6::Setting::Reset,
                 v5::Setting::NotSet => v6::Setting::NotSet,
diff --git a/crates/meilisearch-types/src/settings.rs b/crates/meilisearch-types/src/settings.rs
index ccf0d75ee..edb136567 100644
--- a/crates/meilisearch-types/src/settings.rs
+++ b/crates/meilisearch-types/src/settings.rs
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ pub struct PaginationSettings {
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Setting::is_not_set")]
     #[deserr(default)]
     #[schema(value_type = Option<usize>, example = json!(250))]
-    pub max_total_hits: Setting<usize>,
+    pub max_total_hits: Setting<NonZeroUsize>,
 }
 
 impl MergeWithError<milli::CriterionError> for DeserrJsonError<InvalidSettingsRankingRules> {
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ pub fn apply_settings_to_builder(
 
     match pagination {
         Setting::Set(ref value) => match value.max_total_hits {
-            Setting::Set(val) => builder.set_pagination_max_total_hits(val),
+            Setting::Set(val) => builder.set_pagination_max_total_hits(val.into()),
             Setting::Reset => builder.reset_pagination_max_total_hits(),
             Setting::NotSet => (),
         },
@@ -867,8 +867,8 @@ pub fn settings(
         max_total_hits: Setting::Set(
             index
                 .pagination_max_total_hits(rtxn)?
-                .map(|x| x as usize)
-                .unwrap_or(DEFAULT_PAGINATION_MAX_TOTAL_HITS),
+                .and_then(|x| (x as usize).try_into().ok())
+                .unwrap_or(NonZeroUsize::new(DEFAULT_PAGINATION_MAX_TOTAL_HITS).unwrap()),
         ),
     };
 
diff --git a/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/settings_analytics.rs b/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/settings_analytics.rs
index cb5983f02..41df91966 100644
--- a/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/settings_analytics.rs
+++ b/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/settings_analytics.rs
@@ -454,7 +454,9 @@ pub struct PaginationAnalytics {
 
 impl PaginationAnalytics {
     pub fn new(setting: Option<&PaginationSettings>) -> Self {
-        Self { max_total_hits: setting.as_ref().and_then(|s| s.max_total_hits.set()) }
+        Self {
+            max_total_hits: setting.as_ref().and_then(|s| s.max_total_hits.set().map(|x| x.into())),
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn into_settings(self) -> SettingsAnalytics {
diff --git a/crates/meilisearch/tests/settings/errors.rs b/crates/meilisearch/tests/settings/errors.rs
index 4220cdbf8..6654a95a4 100644
--- a/crates/meilisearch/tests/settings/errors.rs
+++ b/crates/meilisearch/tests/settings/errors.rs
@@ -338,6 +338,47 @@ async fn settings_bad_pagination() {
     "###);
 }
 
+#[actix_rt::test]
+async fn settings_bad_max_total_hits() {
+    let server = Server::new_shared();
+    let index = server.unique_index();
+
+    let (response, code) =
+        index.update_settings(json!({ "pagination": { "maxTotalHits": "doggo" } })).await;
+    snapshot!(code, @"400 Bad Request");
+    snapshot!(json_string!(response), @r###"
+    {
+      "message": "Invalid value type at `.pagination.maxTotalHits`: expected a positive integer, but found a string: `\"doggo\"`",
+      "code": "invalid_settings_pagination",
+      "type": "invalid_request",
+      "link": "https://docs.meilisearch.com/errors#invalid_settings_pagination"
+    }
+    "###);
+
+    let (response, code) =
+        index.update_settings_pagination(json!({ "maxTotalHits": "doggo" } )).await;
+    snapshot!(code, @"400 Bad Request");
+    snapshot!(json_string!(response), @r#"
+    {
+      "message": "Invalid value type at `.maxTotalHits`: expected a positive integer, but found a string: `\"doggo\"`",
+      "code": "invalid_settings_pagination",
+      "type": "invalid_request",
+      "link": "https://docs.meilisearch.com/errors#invalid_settings_pagination"
+    }
+    "#);
+
+    let (response, code) = index.update_settings_pagination(json!({ "maxTotalHits": 0 } )).await;
+    snapshot!(code, @"400 Bad Request");
+    snapshot!(json_string!(response), @r#"
+    {
+      "message": "Invalid value at `.maxTotalHits`: a non-zero integer value lower than `18446744073709551615` was expected, but found a zero",
+      "code": "invalid_settings_pagination",
+      "type": "invalid_request",
+      "link": "https://docs.meilisearch.com/errors#invalid_settings_pagination"
+    }
+    "#);
+}
+
 #[actix_rt::test]
 async fn settings_bad_search_cutoff_ms() {
     let server = Server::new_shared();