diff --git a/yt_dlp/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
index 20111175b1..eaf4163d0f 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
@@ -261,9 +261,11 @@ def validate_options(opts):
         elif value in ('inf', 'infinite'):
             return float('inf')
         try:
-            return int(value)
+            ival = int(value)
         except (TypeError, ValueError):
             validate(False, f'{name} retry count', value)
+        validate_positive(f'{name} retry count', ival)
+        return ival
 
     opts.retries = parse_retries('download', opts.retries)
     opts.fragment_retries = parse_retries('fragment', opts.fragment_retries)