diff --git a/electrum/bitcoin.py b/electrum/bitcoin.py
index 27bf1d619..5c016701f 100644
--- a/electrum/bitcoin.py
+++ b/electrum/bitcoin.py
@@ -290,11 +290,15 @@ def add_number_to_script(i: int) -> bytes:
     return bfh(push_script(script_num_to_hex(i)))
 
 
-def relayfee(network: 'Network'=None) -> int:
-    from .simple_config import FEERATE_DEFAULT_RELAY
-    MAX_RELAY_FEE = 50000
-    f = network.relay_fee if network and network.relay_fee else FEERATE_DEFAULT_RELAY
-    return min(f, MAX_RELAY_FEE)
+def relayfee(network: 'Network' = None) -> int:
+    from .simple_config import FEERATE_DEFAULT_RELAY, FEERATE_MAX_RELAY
+    if network and network.relay_fee is not None:
+        fee = network.relay_fee
+    else:
+        fee = FEERATE_DEFAULT_RELAY
+    fee = min(fee, FEERATE_MAX_RELAY)
+    fee = max(fee, 0)
+    return fee
 
 
 def dust_threshold(network: 'Network'=None) -> int:
diff --git a/electrum/simple_config.py b/electrum/simple_config.py
index 6a518de15..4d28947fb 100644
--- a/electrum/simple_config.py
+++ b/electrum/simple_config.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ FEERATE_MAX_DYNAMIC = 1500000
 FEERATE_WARNING_HIGH_FEE = 600000
 FEERATE_FALLBACK_STATIC_FEE = 150000
 FEERATE_DEFAULT_RELAY = 1000
+FEERATE_MAX_RELAY = 50000
 FEERATE_STATIC_VALUES = [1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 30000,
                          50000, 70000, 100000, 150000, 200000, 300000]
 FEERATE_REGTEST_HARDCODED = 180000  # for eclair compat