diff --git a/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceBuilder.java b/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceBuilder.java
index 501f2f2..55ab062 100644
--- a/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceBuilder.java
+++ b/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceBuilder.java
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ default DataSourceBuilder readOnly(boolean readOnly) {
   DataSourceBuilder setReadOnly(boolean readOnly);
 
   /**
-   * Set the minimum number of connections the pool should maintain.
+   * Set the minimum number of connections the pool should maintain. Defaults to 2 when not set.
    */
   default DataSourceBuilder minConnections(int minConnections) {
     return setMinConnections(minConnections);
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ default DataSourceBuilder minConnections(int minConnections) {
   DataSourceBuilder setMinConnections(int minConnections);
 
   /**
-   * Set the maximum number of connections the pool can reach.
+   * Set the maximum number of connections the pool can reach. Defaults to 200 when not set.
    */
   default DataSourceBuilder maxConnections(int maxConnections) {
     return setMaxConnections(maxConnections);
@@ -892,12 +892,12 @@ default String driverClassName() {
     boolean isReadOnly();
 
     /**
-     * Return the minimum number of connections the pool should maintain.
+     * Return the minimum number of connections the pool should maintain. Defaults to 2.
      */
     int getMinConnections();
 
     /**
-     * Return the maximum number of connections the pool can reach.
+     * Return the maximum number of connections the pool can reach. Defaults to 200.
      */
     int getMaxConnections();
 
diff --git a/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfig.java b/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfig.java
index 001106b..93d3cf5 100644
--- a/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfig.java
+++ b/ebean-datasource-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfig.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 @SuppressWarnings("removal")
 public class DataSourceConfig implements DataSourceBuilder.Settings {
 
+  private static final int UNSET = -1;
   private static final String POSTGRES = "postgres";
 
   private String name = "";
@@ -54,8 +55,8 @@ public class DataSourceConfig implements DataSourceBuilder.Settings {
    * The optional database owner password (for running InitDatabase).
    */
   private String ownerPassword;
-  private int minConnections = 2;
-  private int maxConnections = 200;
+  private int minConnections = UNSET; // defaults to 2
+  private int maxConnections = UNSET; // defaults to 200
   private int isolationLevel = Connection.TRANSACTION_READ_COMMITTED;
   private boolean autoCommit;
   private boolean readOnly;
@@ -182,10 +183,10 @@ public DataSourceConfig setDefaults(DataSourceBuilder builder) {
     if (catalog == null) {
       catalog = other.catalog();
     }
-    if (minConnections == 2 && other.getMinConnections() < 2) {
+    if (minConnections == UNSET) {
       minConnections = other.getMinConnections();
     }
-    if (maxConnections == 200 && other.getMaxConnections() != 200) {
+    if (maxConnections == UNSET) {
       maxConnections = other.getMaxConnections();
     }
     if (!shutdownOnJvmExit && other.isShutdownOnJvmExit()) {
@@ -413,7 +414,7 @@ public DataSourceConfig setReadOnly(boolean readOnly) {
 
   @Override
   public int getMinConnections() {
-    return minConnections;
+    return minConnections == UNSET ? 2 : minConnections;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -424,7 +425,7 @@ public DataSourceConfig setMinConnections(int minConnections) {
 
   @Override
   public int getMaxConnections() {
-    return maxConnections;
+    return maxConnections == UNSET ? 200 : maxConnections;
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/ebean-datasource-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfigTest.java b/ebean-datasource-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfigTest.java
index 77e860b..0f8e61b 100644
--- a/ebean-datasource-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfigTest.java
+++ b/ebean-datasource-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/datasource/DataSourceConfigTest.java
@@ -179,6 +179,19 @@ void setDefaults_when_explicit() {
     assertThat(readOnly.getMaxConnections()).isEqualTo(22);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void setDefaults_when_explicitSameAsNormalDefaults() {
+    DataSourceConfig readOnly = new DataSourceConfig();
+    readOnly.setMinConnections(2);
+    readOnly.setMaxConnections(200);
+
+    // act
+    readOnly.setDefaults(create());
+
+    assertThat(readOnly.getMinConnections()).isEqualTo(2);
+    assertThat(readOnly.getMaxConnections()).isEqualTo(200);
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void defaults_someOverride() {
     DataSourceConfig readOnly = new DataSourceConfig();