diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f9bfc1b..b26b4c1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -286,6 +286,8 @@ w.on('closed', () => {
 
 Changes
 -------
+* **0.9.3**
+  * Fix off by one error for Message maxAttempts. (Thanks @tomc974)
 * **0.9.2**
   * Fix `Reader.close` to cleanup all intervals to allow node to exit cleanly.
   * Upraded Sinon
diff --git a/lib/reader.js b/lib/reader.js
index d86a17b..700a094 100644
--- a/lib/reader.js
+++ b/lib/reader.js
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class Reader extends EventEmitter {
     process.nextTick(() => {
       const autoFinishMessage =
         this.config.maxAttempts > 0 &&
-        this.config.maxAttempts <= message.attempts
+        this.config.maxAttempts < message.attempts
       const numDiscardListeners = this.listeners(Reader.DISCARD).length
 
       if (autoFinishMessage && numDiscardListeners > 0) {
diff --git a/test/reader_test.js b/test/reader_test.js
index e8e938d..87a16d8 100644
--- a/test/reader_test.js
+++ b/test/reader_test.js
@@ -12,13 +12,24 @@ describe('reader', () => {
 
   describe('max attempts', () =>
     describe('exceeded', () => {
+      it('should process msg while attempts do not exceed max', done => {
+        const maxAttempts = 1
+        const reader = readerWithAttempts(maxAttempts)
+
+        reader.on(nsq.Reader.DISCARD, () => {
+          done(new Error('should not be discarded'))
+        })
+        reader.on(nsq.Reader.MESSAGE, () => done())
+        reader.handleMessage({attempts: 1, finish: () => {}})
+      })
+
       it('should finish after exceeding specified max attempts', done => {
         const maxAttempts = 2
         const reader = readerWithAttempts(maxAttempts)
 
         // Message that has exceed the maximum number of attempts
         const message = {
-          attempts: maxAttempts,
+          attempts: maxAttempts + 1,
           finish: sinon.spy()
         }
 
@@ -35,7 +46,7 @@ describe('reader', () => {
         const reader = readerWithAttempts(maxAttempts)
 
         const message = {
-          attempts: maxAttempts,
+          attempts: maxAttempts + 1,
           finish () {}
         }
 
@@ -48,7 +59,7 @@ describe('reader', () => {
         const reader = readerWithAttempts(maxAttempts)
 
         const message = {
-          attempts: maxAttempts,
+          attempts: maxAttempts + 1,
           finish () {}
         }