diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/config/request.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/config/request.rs
index 650bbf4758d..88b66e4ff05 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/config/request.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/config/request.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 use std::{
     fmt::{self, Debug},
+    num::NonZeroUsize,
     time::Duration,
 };
 
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ pub struct RequestConfig {
     pub(crate) timeout: Duration,
     pub(crate) retry_limit: Option<u64>,
     pub(crate) retry_timeout: Option<Duration>,
-    pub(crate) max_concurrent_requests: usize,
+    pub(crate) max_concurrent_requests: Option<NonZeroUsize>,
     pub(crate) force_auth: bool,
 }
 
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ impl Debug for RequestConfig {
         res.field("timeout", timeout)
             .maybe_field("retry_limit", retry_limit)
             .maybe_field("retry_timeout", retry_timeout)
-            .field("max_concurrent_requests", max_concurrent_requests);
+            .maybe_field("max_concurrent_requests", max_concurrent_requests);
 
         if *force_auth {
             res.field("force_auth", &true);
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ impl Default for RequestConfig {
             timeout: DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT,
             retry_limit: Default::default(),
             retry_timeout: Default::default(),
-            max_concurrent_requests: 0,
+            max_concurrent_requests: Default::default(),
             force_auth: false,
         }
     }
@@ -114,18 +115,11 @@ impl RequestConfig {
     /// Any additional request beyond that number will be waiting until another
     /// concurrent requests finished. Requests are queued fairly.
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn max_concurrent_requests(mut self, limit: usize) -> Self {
+    pub fn max_concurrent_requests(mut self, limit: Option<NonZeroUsize>) -> Self {
         self.max_concurrent_requests = limit;
         self
     }
 
-    /// Disable the limit of concurrent requests. Setting the limit to 0
-    /// has the same effect.
-    #[must_use]
-    pub fn disable_max_concurrent_requests(mut self) -> Self {
-        self.max_concurrent_requests = 0;
-        self
-    }
     /// Set the timeout duration for all HTTP requests.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn timeout(mut self, timeout: Duration) -> Self {
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/http_client/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/http_client/mod.rs
index e12844f51a5..243b85c33d6 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/http_client/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/http_client/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 use std::{
     any::type_name,
     fmt::Debug,
+    num::NonZeroUsize,
     sync::{
         atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering},
         Arc,
@@ -56,8 +57,8 @@ struct MaybeSemaphore(Arc<Option<Semaphore>>);
 struct MaybeSemaphorePermit<'a>(Option<SemaphorePermit<'a>>);
 
 impl MaybeSemaphore {
-    fn new(max: usize) -> Self {
-        let inner = if max > 0 { Some(Semaphore::new(max)) } else { None };
+    fn new(max: Option<NonZeroUsize>) -> Self {
+        let inner = max.map(|i| Semaphore::new(i.into()));
         MaybeSemaphore(Arc::new(inner))
     }
 
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ impl MaybeSemaphore {
 pub(crate) struct HttpClient {
     pub(crate) inner: reqwest::Client,
     pub(crate) request_config: RequestConfig,
-    queue: MaybeSemaphore,
+    concurrent_request_semaphore: MaybeSemaphore,
     next_request_id: Arc<AtomicU64>,
 }
 
@@ -85,7 +86,9 @@ impl HttpClient {
         HttpClient {
             inner,
             request_config,
-            queue: MaybeSemaphore::new(request_config.max_concurrent_requests),
+            concurrent_request_semaphore: MaybeSemaphore::new(
+                request_config.max_concurrent_requests,
+            ),
             next_request_id: AtomicU64::new(0).into(),
         }
     }
@@ -215,7 +218,7 @@ impl HttpClient {
         };
 
         // will be automatically dropped at the end of this function
-        let _handle = self.queue.acquire().await;
+        let _handle = self.concurrent_request_semaphore.acquire().await;
 
         debug!("Sending request");