diff --git a/code/controllers/configuration/entries/general.dm b/code/controllers/configuration/entries/general.dm
index 76bee768f4..a1f8f098d3 100644
--- a/code/controllers/configuration/entries/general.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/configuration/entries/general.dm
@@ -88,13 +88,17 @@
 	config_entry_value = 72000
 	min_val = 0
 
-/datum/config_entry/number/vote_autotransfer_interval //length of time to wait before subsequent autotransfer votes (deciseconds, default 30 minutes)
+///length of time to wait before subsequent autotransfer votes (deciseconds, default 30 minutes)
+/datum/config_entry/number/vote_autotransfer_interval
 	config_entry_value = 18000
 	min_val = 0
 
-/datum/config_entry/number/vote_autotransfer_maximum // maximum extensions until the round autoends, set to 0 to disable.
+/// maximum extensions until the round autoends.
+/// Set to 0 to force automatic crew transfer after the 'vote_autotransfer_initial' elapsed.
+/// Set to -1 to disable the maximum extensions cap.
+/datum/config_entry/number/vote_autotransfer_maximum
 	config_entry_value = 4
-	min_val = 0
+	min_val = -1
 
 /datum/config_entry/flag/default_no_vote	// vote does not default to nochange/norestart
 
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/autotransfer.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/autotransfer.dm
index ce44b25fcc..d37430bcdd 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/autotransfer.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/autotransfer.dm
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#define NO_MAXVOTES_CAP -1
+
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(autotransfer)
 	name = "Autotransfer Vote"
 	flags = SS_KEEP_TIMING | SS_BACKGROUND
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(autotransfer)
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/autotransfer/Initialize(timeofday)
 	var/init_vote = CONFIG_GET(number/vote_autotransfer_initial)
-	if(init_vote == 0) //Autotransfer voting disabled.
+	if(!init_vote) //Autotransfer voting disabled.
 		can_fire = FALSE
 		return ..()
 	starttime = world.time
@@ -27,10 +29,13 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(autotransfer)
 	curvotes = SSautotransfer.curvotes
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/autotransfer/fire()
-	if(!maxvotes || maxvotes > curvotes)
-		if(world.time > targettime)
-			SSvote.initiate_vote("transfer","server")
-			targettime = targettime + voteinterval
-			curvotes += 1
+	if(world.time < targettime)
+		return
+	if(maxvotes == NO_MAXVOTES_CAP || maxvotes > curvotes)
+		SSvote.initiate_vote("transfer","server")
+		targettime = targettime + voteinterval
+		curvotes++
 	else
 		SSshuttle.autoEnd()
+
+#undef NO_MAXVOTES_CAP
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/config.txt b/config/config.txt
index 7ec5354128..306d1d9a6d 100644
--- a/config/config.txt
+++ b/config/config.txt
@@ -191,7 +191,9 @@ VOTE_AUTOTRANSFER_INITIAL 72000
 ## autovote delay (deciseconds) before sequential automatic transfer votes are called (default 30 minutes)
 VOTE_AUTOTRANSFER_INTERVAL 18000
 
-## autovote maximum votes until automatic transfer call, set to 0 to disable. (default 4)
+## autovote maximum votes until automatic transfer call. (default 4)
+## Set to 0 to force automatic crew transfer after the 'vote_autotransfer_initial' elapsed.
+## Set to -1 to disable the maximum votes cap.
 VOTE_AUTOTRANSFER_MAXIMUM 4
 
 ## prevents dead players from voting or starting votes