diff --git a/control_toolbox/include/control_toolbox/rate_limiter.hpp b/control_toolbox/include/control_toolbox/rate_limiter.hpp
index 63a830af..63543f64 100644
--- a/control_toolbox/include/control_toolbox/rate_limiter.hpp
+++ b/control_toolbox/include/control_toolbox/rate_limiter.hpp
@@ -207,15 +207,19 @@ void RateLimiter<T>::set_params(
   }
   if (has_first_derivative_limits_)
   {
+    bool asym_given =
+      !std::isnan(min_first_derivative_pos) ||
+      !std::isnan(max_first_derivative_neg);
     if (std::isnan(max_first_derivative_neg_))
     {
-      max_first_derivative_neg_ = max_first_derivative_pos_;
+      max_first_derivative_neg_ = -max_first_derivative_pos_;
     }
     if (std::isnan(min_first_derivative_pos_))
     {
-      min_first_derivative_pos_ = min_first_derivative_neg_;
+      min_first_derivative_pos_ = -min_first_derivative_neg_;
     }
-    if (has_first_derivative_limits_ && min_first_derivative_pos_ > max_first_derivative_neg_)
+    if (has_first_derivative_limits_ && asym_given &&
+        min_first_derivative_pos_ > max_first_derivative_neg_)
     {
       throw std::invalid_argument("Invalid first derivative limits");
     }