diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 92f148ca903..91a155b0a16 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Options:
 - `keepAlive: Boolean`, enable or disable keep alive connections.
   Default: `true`.
 
-- `maxKeepAliveTimeout: Number`, the maximum allowed `idleTimeout` when overriden by
+- `keepAliveMaxTimeout: Number`, the maximum allowed `idleTimeout` when overriden by
   *keep-alive* hints from the server.
   Default: `600e3` milliseconds (10min).
 
diff --git a/lib/core/client.js b/lib/core/client.js
index c966c3f3940..e145f767b87 100644
--- a/lib/core/client.js
+++ b/lib/core/client.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ const {
   kKeepAliveTimeout,
   kMaxHeadersSize,
   kHeadersTimeout,
-  kMaxKeepAliveTimeout,
+  kKeepAliveMaxTimeout,
   kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold,
   kKeepAlive
 } = require('./symbols')
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     socketTimeout,
     idleTimeout,
     maxKeepAliveTimeout,
+    keepAliveMaxTimeout = maxKeepAliveTimeout,
     keepAliveTimeoutThreshold,
     socketPath,
     requestTimeout,
@@ -115,8 +116,8 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
       throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid idleTimeout')
     }
 
-    if (maxKeepAliveTimeout != null && (!Number.isFinite(maxKeepAliveTimeout) || maxKeepAliveTimeout <= 0)) {
-      throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid maxKeepAliveTimeout')
+    if (keepAliveMaxTimeout != null && (!Number.isFinite(keepAliveMaxTimeout) || keepAliveMaxTimeout <= 0)) {
+      throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid keepAliveMaxTimeout')
     }
 
     if (keepAlive != null && typeof keepAlive !== 'boolean') {
@@ -143,8 +144,8 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     this[kUrl] = url
     this[kSocketPath] = socketPath
     this[kSocketTimeout] = socketTimeout == null ? 30e3 : socketTimeout
-    this[kMaxKeepAliveTimeout] = maxKeepAliveTimeout == null ? 600e3 : maxKeepAliveTimeout
     this[kIdleTimeout] = idleTimeout == null ? 4e3 : idleTimeout
+    this[kKeepAliveMaxTimeout] = keepAliveMaxTimeout == null ? 600e3 : keepAliveMaxTimeout
     this[kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold] = keepAliveTimeoutThreshold == null ? 1e3 : keepAliveTimeoutThreshold
     this[kKeepAliveTimeout] = this[kIdleTimeout]
     this[kKeepAlive] = keepAlive == null ? true : keepAlive
@@ -512,7 +513,7 @@ class Parser extends HTTPParser {
       if (Number.isFinite(keepAliveTimeout)) {
         const timeout = Math.min(
           keepAliveTimeout - client[kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold],
-          client[kMaxKeepAliveTimeout]
+          client[kKeepAliveMaxTimeout]
         )
         if (timeout < 1e3) {
           client[kReset] = true
diff --git a/lib/core/symbols.js b/lib/core/symbols.js
index c1a6fc60955..135dd8f36c7 100644
--- a/lib/core/symbols.js
+++ b/lib/core/symbols.js
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ module.exports = {
   kPause: Symbol('pause'),
   kSocketTimeout: Symbol('socket timeout'),
   kIdleTimeout: Symbol('idle timeout'),
-  kMaxKeepAliveTimeout: Symbol('max keep alive timeout'),
-  kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold: Symbol('keep alive timeout threshold'),
   kRequestTimeout: Symbol('request timeout'),
+  kKeepAliveMaxTimeout: Symbol('max keep alive timeout'),
+  kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold: Symbol('keep alive timeout threshold'),
   kKeepAliveTimeout: Symbol('keep alive timeout'),
   kKeepAlive: Symbol('keep alive'),
   kServerName: Symbol('server name'),
diff --git a/test/client-errors.js b/test/client-errors.js
index 6eb8eea7b48..6337891e4f5 100644
--- a/test/client-errors.js
+++ b/test/client-errors.js
@@ -299,20 +299,20 @@ test('invalid options throws', (t) => {
 
   try {
     new Client(new URL('http://localhost:200'), { // eslint-disable-line
-      maxKeepAliveTimeout: 'asd'
+      keepAliveMaxTimeout: 'asd'
     }) // eslint-disable-line
   } catch (err) {
     t.ok(err instanceof errors.InvalidArgumentError)
-    t.strictEqual(err.message, 'invalid maxKeepAliveTimeout')
+    t.strictEqual(err.message, 'invalid keepAliveMaxTimeout')
   }
 
   try {
     new Client(new URL('http://localhost:200'), { // eslint-disable-line
-      maxKeepAliveTimeout: 0
+      keepAliveMaxTimeout: 0
     }) // eslint-disable-line
   } catch (err) {
     t.ok(err instanceof errors.InvalidArgumentError)
-    t.strictEqual(err.message, 'invalid maxKeepAliveTimeout')
+    t.strictEqual(err.message, 'invalid keepAliveMaxTimeout')
   }
 
   try {
diff --git a/test/client-keep-alive.js b/test/client-keep-alive.js
index ed9b2569541..b978c9c245e 100644
--- a/test/client-keep-alive.js
+++ b/test/client-keep-alive.js
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ test('keep-alive max keepalive', (t) => {
   server.listen(0, () => {
     const client = new Client(`http://localhost:${server.address().port}`, {
       idleTimeout: 30e3,
-      maxKeepAliveTimeout: 1e3
+      keepAliveMaxTimeout: 1e3
     })
     t.teardown(client.destroy.bind(client))