diff --git a/src/backend/pyloader/python_policy.cc b/src/backend/pyloader/python_policy.cc
index 7ebc17e..1ab3ba0 100644
--- a/src/backend/pyloader/python_policy.cc
+++ b/src/backend/pyloader/python_policy.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 // Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
 
 #include "python_policy.hh"
-#include <iostream>
+#include <limits>
 #include <unistd.h>
 using namespace sgpem;
 using namespace std;
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ PythonPolicy::get_time_slice() const throw(UserInterruptException) {
   
   // Parse return value stored in global Python object
   retval = PyDict_GetItemString(_adapter_dict, "_ret_val");
-  return static_cast<int>(PyInt_AsLong(retval));
+  long tmp = PyInt_AsLong(retval);
+  return tmp < 0 ? numeric_limits<int>::max() : static_cast<int>(tmp);
 }