diff --git a/crates/ecstore/src/bucket/lifecycle/bucket_lifecycle_ops.rs b/crates/ecstore/src/bucket/lifecycle/bucket_lifecycle_ops.rs
index dd4e4c53e..8b41f25ed 100644
--- a/crates/ecstore/src/bucket/lifecycle/bucket_lifecycle_ops.rs
+++ b/crates/ecstore/src/bucket/lifecycle/bucket_lifecycle_ops.rs
@@ -112,11 +112,20 @@ fn resolve_transition_worker_count() -> (i64, i64, i64) {
         .filter(|value| *value > 0)
         .unwrap_or(fallback);
     let mut effective = configured;
-    let absolute_max = get_env_i64(ENV_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX, DEFAULT_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX);
+    let absolute_max = resolve_transition_workers_absolute_max();
     effective = std::cmp::min(effective, absolute_max);
     (configured, absolute_max, effective)
 }
 
+fn resolve_transition_workers_absolute_max() -> i64 {
+    let absolute_max = get_env_i64(ENV_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX, DEFAULT_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX);
+    if absolute_max > 0 {
+        absolute_max
+    } else {
+        DEFAULT_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX
+    }
+}
+
 fn resolve_transition_queue_capacity() -> usize {
     get_env_usize(ENV_TRANSITION_QUEUE_CAPACITY, DEFAULT_TRANSITION_QUEUE_CAPACITY).max(1)
 }
@@ -942,7 +951,7 @@ impl TransitionState {
             n = effective;
         }
         // Allow environment override of maximum workers
-        let absolute_max = get_env_i64(ENV_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX, DEFAULT_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX);
+        let absolute_max = resolve_transition_workers_absolute_max();
         n = std::cmp::min(n, absolute_max);
 
         let previous_num_workers = GLOBAL_TransitionState.num_workers.load(Ordering::SeqCst);
@@ -2294,6 +2303,9 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(opts.skip_decommissioned);
     }
 
+    // SAFETY: this helper is only used from `#[serial]` tests and those tests run under a
+    // single-thread runtime (`worker_threads = 1`), so no concurrent reader/writer can access
+    // process environment while `env::set_var`/`env::remove_var` is active.
     #[allow(unsafe_code)]
     fn with_transition_worker_env<F>(transition: Option<&str>, absolute: Option<&str>, test_fn: F)
     where
@@ -2343,6 +2355,9 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    // SAFETY: this helper is only used from `#[serial]` tests and those tests run under a
+    // single-thread runtime (`worker_threads = 1`), so no concurrent reader/writer can access
+    // process environment while `env::set_var`/`env::remove_var` is active.
     #[allow(unsafe_code)]
     async fn with_transition_worker_env_async<F, Fut>(transition: Option<&str>, absolute: Option<&str>, test_fn: F)
     where
@@ -2393,6 +2408,9 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    // SAFETY: this helper is only used from `#[serial]` tests and those tests run under a
+    // single-thread runtime (`worker_threads = 1`), so no concurrent reader/writer can access
+    // process environment while `env::set_var`/`env::remove_var` is active.
     #[allow(unsafe_code)]
     fn with_transition_queue_env<F>(capacity: Option<&str>, timeout_ms: Option<&str>, test_fn: F)
     where
@@ -2442,6 +2460,9 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    // SAFETY: this helper is only used from `#[serial]` tests and those tests run under a
+    // single-thread runtime (`worker_threads = 1`), so no concurrent reader/writer can access
+    // process environment while `env::set_var`/`env::remove_var` is active.
     #[allow(unsafe_code)]
     async fn with_transition_queue_env_async<F, Fut>(capacity: Option<&str>, timeout_ms: Option<&str>, test_fn: F)
     where
@@ -2554,6 +2575,26 @@ mod tests {
         });
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    #[serial]
+    fn resolve_transition_worker_count_ignores_non_positive_absolute_max() {
+        with_transition_worker_env(Some("4"), Some("0"), || {
+            let (configured, absolute_max, effective) = resolve_transition_worker_count();
+
+            assert_eq!(configured, 4);
+            assert_eq!(absolute_max, DEFAULT_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX);
+            assert_eq!(effective, 4);
+        });
+
+        with_transition_worker_env(Some("4"), Some("-1"), || {
+            let (configured, absolute_max, effective) = resolve_transition_worker_count();
+
+            assert_eq!(configured, 4);
+            assert_eq!(absolute_max, DEFAULT_TRANSITION_WORKERS_ABSOLUTE_MAX);
+            assert_eq!(effective, 4);
+        });
+    }
+
     #[test]
     #[serial]
     fn resolve_transition_worker_count_falls_back_for_zero_value() {
diff --git a/crates/scanner/tests/lifecycle_integration_test.rs b/crates/scanner/tests/lifecycle_integration_test.rs
index 40b0d6fd4..9f5bebec5 100644
--- a/crates/scanner/tests/lifecycle_integration_test.rs
+++ b/crates/scanner/tests/lifecycle_integration_test.rs
@@ -807,6 +807,9 @@ async fn wait_for_transition(
     }
 }
 
+// SAFETY: this helper is used only by `#[serial]` tests and runs under the single-threaded Tokio
+// runtime (`worker_threads = 1`), so no concurrent test can mutate process environment during the
+// `env::set_var` / `env::remove_var` window.
 #[allow(unsafe_code)]
 async fn with_forced_immediate_enqueue_timeout<F, Fut>(test_fn: F)
 where
diff --git a/rustfs/src/app/lifecycle_transition_api_test.rs b/rustfs/src/app/lifecycle_transition_api_test.rs
index 02ee25543..09f660308 100644
--- a/rustfs/src/app/lifecycle_transition_api_test.rs
+++ b/rustfs/src/app/lifecycle_transition_api_test.rs
@@ -327,6 +327,9 @@ async fn wait_for_transition(
     }
 }
 
+// SAFETY: this helper is used only by `#[serial]` tests and runs under the single-threaded Tokio
+// runtime (`worker_threads = 1`), so no concurrent test can mutate process environment during the
+// `env::set_var` / `env::remove_var` window.
 #[allow(unsafe_code)]
 async fn with_forced_immediate_enqueue_timeout<F, Fut>(test_fn: F)
 where