diff --git a/src/H5S.c b/src/H5S.c
index f0025003f8..13e74de7c5 100644
--- a/src/H5S.c
+++ b/src/H5S.c
@@ -1202,14 +1202,6 @@ H5Sset_extent_simple(hid_t space_id, int rank, const hsize_t dims[/*rank*/],
         }
     }
 
-    /* Check through all the dimensions to see if the new dimension size exceeds the current 
-     * size or if the new maximal size exceeds the current maximal size */
-    for(u = 0; u < space->extent.rank; u++) {
-        if(space->extent.max && H5S_UNLIMITED!=space->extent.max[u] &&
-                (space->extent.max[u]<dims[u] || (max && space->extent.max[u]<max[u])))
-            HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_ARGS, H5E_BADVALUE, FAIL, "new size exceeds current maximal size")
-    } /* end for */
-
     /* Do it */
     if (H5S_set_extent_simple(space, (unsigned)rank, dims, max)<0)
 	HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_DATASPACE, H5E_CANTINIT, FAIL, "unable to set simple extent")
@@ -1840,7 +1832,7 @@ H5S_set_extent(H5S_t *space, const hsize_t *size)
             /* Check for invalid dimension size modification */
             if(space->extent.max && H5S_UNLIMITED != space->extent.max[u] &&
                      space->extent.max[u] < size[u])
-                 HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_DATASPACE, H5E_BADVALUE, FAIL, "dimension cannot be modified")
+                 HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_DATASPACE, H5E_BADVALUE, FAIL, "dimension cannot exceed the existing maximal size")
 
             /* Indicate that dimension size can be modified */
             ret_value = TRUE;
diff --git a/test/th5s.c b/test/th5s.c
index 916feb69b4..d0d176a4f9 100644
--- a/test/th5s.c
+++ b/test/th5s.c
@@ -145,8 +145,6 @@ test_h5s_basic(void)
 	   "H5Sget_simple_extent_dims");
 
     /* Change max dims to be equal to the dimensions */
-    /*ret = H5Sset_extent_simple(sid1, SPACE1_RANK, dims1, max2);
-    CHECK(ret, FAIL, "H5Sset_extent_simple");*/
     ret = H5Sset_extent_simple(sid1, SPACE1_RANK, dims1, NULL);
     CHECK(ret, FAIL, "H5Sset_extent_simple");
     rank = H5Sget_simple_extent_dims(sid1, tdims, tmax);
@@ -785,6 +783,14 @@ test_h5s_zero_dim(void)
             }
     }
 
+    /* Now extend the first dimension size of the dataset to SPACE1_DIM1*3 past the maximal size.
+     * It is supposed to fail. */
+    extend_dims[0] = SPACE1_DIM1*3;
+    H5E_BEGIN_TRY {
+        ret = H5Dset_extent(dset1, extend_dims);
+    } H5E_END_TRY;
+    VERIFY(ret, FAIL, "H5Dset_extent");
+
     ret = H5Pclose(plist_id);
     CHECK(ret, FAIL, "H5Pclose");