diff --git a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
index 1ca1e658..9e3f5303 100644
--- a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
+++ b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
@@ -4577,19 +4577,22 @@ fn test_query_max_start_depth() {
     #[rustfmt::skip]
     let rows = &[
         Row {
-            description: "depth 0: match all",
+            description: "depth 0: match translation unit",
+            depth: 0,
+            pattern: r#"
+                (translation_unit) @capture
+            "#,
+            matches: &[
+                (0, &[("capture", "if (a1 && a2) {\n    if (b1 && b2) { }\n    if (c) { }\n}\nif (d) {\n    if (e1 && e2) { }\n    if (f) { }\n}\n")]),
+            ]
+        },
+        Row {
+            description: "depth 0: match none",
             depth: 0,
             pattern: r#"
                 (if_statement) @capture
             "#,
-            matches: &[
-                (0, &[("capture", "if (a1 && a2) {\n    if (b1 && b2) { }\n    if (c) { }\n}")]),
-                (0, &[("capture", "if (b1 && b2) { }")]),
-                (0, &[("capture", "if (c) { }")]),
-                (0, &[("capture", "if (d) {\n    if (e1 && e2) { }\n    if (f) { }\n}")]),
-                (0, &[("capture", "if (e1 && e2) { }")]),
-                (0, &[("capture", "if (f) { }")]),
-            ]
+            matches: &[]
         },
         Row {
             description: "depth 1: match 2 if statements at the top level",
diff --git a/lib/binding_rust/bindings.rs b/lib/binding_rust/bindings.rs
index 912916c0..faec9d3b 100644
--- a/lib/binding_rust/bindings.rs
+++ b/lib/binding_rust/bindings.rs
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ extern "C" {
     ) -> bool;
 }
 extern "C" {
-    #[doc = " Set the maximum start depth for a cursor.\n\n This prevents cursors from exploring children nodes at a certain depth.\n Note if a pattern includes many children, then they will still be checked.\n\n Set to `0` to remove the maximum start depth."]
+    #[doc = " Set the maximum start depth for a query cursor.\n\n This prevents cursors from exploring children nodes at a certain depth.\n Note if a pattern includes many children, then they will still be checked.\n\n The zero max start depth value can be used as a special behavior and\n it helps to destructure a subtree by staying on a node and using captures\n for interested parts. Note that the zero max start depth only limit a search\n depth for a pattern's root node but other nodes that are parts of the pattern\n may be searched at any depth what defined by the pattern structure.\n\n Set to `UINT32_MAX` to remove the maximum start depth."]
     pub fn ts_query_cursor_set_max_start_depth(arg1: *mut TSQueryCursor, arg2: u32);
 }
 extern "C" {
diff --git a/lib/include/tree_sitter/api.h b/lib/include/tree_sitter/api.h
index d9560f24..349f6838 100644
--- a/lib/include/tree_sitter/api.h
+++ b/lib/include/tree_sitter/api.h
@@ -984,12 +984,18 @@ bool ts_query_cursor_next_capture(
 );
 
 /**
- * Set the maximum start depth for a cursor.
+ * Set the maximum start depth for a query cursor.
  *
  * This prevents cursors from exploring children nodes at a certain depth.
  * Note if a pattern includes many children, then they will still be checked.
  *
- * Set to `0` to remove the maximum start depth.
+ * The zero max start depth value can be used as a special behavior and
+ * it helps to destructure a subtree by staying on a node and using captures
+ * for interested parts. Note that the zero max start depth only limit a search
+ * depth for a pattern's root node but other nodes that are parts of the pattern
+ * may be searched at any depth what defined by the pattern structure.
+ *
+ * Set to `UINT32_MAX` to remove the maximum start depth.
  */
 void ts_query_cursor_set_max_start_depth(TSQueryCursor *, uint32_t);
 
diff --git a/lib/src/query.c b/lib/src/query.c
index ff4bb06c..be4464ea 100644
--- a/lib/src/query.c
+++ b/lib/src/query.c
@@ -4124,11 +4124,7 @@ void ts_query_cursor_set_max_start_depth(
   TSQueryCursor *self,
   uint32_t max_start_depth
 ) {
-  if (max_start_depth == 0) {
-    self->max_start_depth = UINT32_MAX;
-  } else {
-    self->max_start_depth = max_start_depth;
-  }
+  self->max_start_depth = max_start_depth;
 }
 
 #undef LOG