diff --git a/nova/conf/compute.py b/nova/conf/compute.py
index 7cfd1a1a01aa..47e790fd2d6c 100644
--- a/nova/conf/compute.py
+++ b/nova/conf/compute.py
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ allocation_ratio_opts = [
     # TODO(sfinucan): Add min parameter
     cfg.FloatOpt('cpu_allocation_ratio',
         default=0.0,
+        min=0.0,
         help="""
 This option helps you specify virtual CPU to physical CPU allocation
 ratio which affects all CPU filters.
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@ Possible values:
     # TODO(sfinucan): Add min parameter
     cfg.FloatOpt('ram_allocation_ratio',
         default=0.0,
+        min=0.0,
         help="""
 This option helps you specify virtual RAM to physical RAM
 allocation ratio which affects all RAM filters.
@@ -227,6 +229,7 @@ Possible values:
     # TODO(sfinucan): Add min parameter
     cfg.FloatOpt('disk_allocation_ratio',
         default=0.0,
+        min=0.0,
         help="""
 This option helps you specify virtual disk to physical disk
 allocation ratio used by the disk_filter.py script to determine if
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_resource_tracker.py b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_resource_tracker.py
index fcc623ec502b..319ad1fa2055 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_resource_tracker.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_resource_tracker.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import copy
 import datetime
 
 import mock
+from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_utils import timeutils
 from oslo_utils import units
 
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ from nova.tests import uuidsentinel as uuids
 
 _HOSTNAME = 'fake-host'
 _NODENAME = 'fake-node'
+CONF = cfg.CONF
 
 _VIRT_DRIVER_AVAIL_RESOURCES = {
     'vcpus': 4,
@@ -2273,3 +2275,20 @@ class TestIsTrackableMigration(test.NoDBTestCase):
             mig.migration_type = mig_type
 
             self.assertFalse(resource_tracker._is_trackable_migration(mig))
+
+
+class OverCommitTestCase(BaseTestCase):
+    def test_cpu_allocation_ratio_none_negative(self):
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError,
+                          CONF.set_default, 'cpu_allocation_ratio', -1.0,
+                          enforce_type=True)
+
+    def test_ram_allocation_ratio_none_negative(self):
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError,
+                          CONF.set_default, 'ram_allocation_ratio', -1.0,
+                          enforce_type=True)
+
+    def test_disk_allocation_ratio_none_negative(self):
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError,
+                          CONF.set_default, 'disk_allocation_ratio', -1.0,
+                          enforce_type=True)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/bug-1604116-87a823c3c165d057.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1604116-87a823c3c165d057.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..46ae12a08ee5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1604116-87a823c3c165d057.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - The three configuration options ``cpu_allocation_ratio``,
+    ``ram_allocation_ratio`` and ``disk_allocation_ratio`` for
+    the nova compute are now checked against negative values.
+    If any of these three options is set to negative value
+    then nova compute service will fail to start.