diff --git a/swift/common/constraints.py b/swift/common/constraints.py
index a1dc3c9848..f661a6989d 100644
--- a/swift/common/constraints.py
+++ b/swift/common/constraints.py
@@ -302,9 +302,9 @@ def valid_timestamp(request):
 
 def check_delete_headers(request):
     """
-    Validate if 'x-delete' headers are have correct values
-    values should be positive integers and correspond to
-    a time in the future.
+    Check that 'x-delete-after' and 'x-delete-at' headers have valid values.
+    Values should be positive integers and correspond to a time greater than or
+    equal to the request timestamp.
 
     :param request: the swob request object
 
@@ -319,13 +319,13 @@ def check_delete_headers(request):
             raise HTTPBadRequest(request=request,
                                  content_type='text/plain',
                                  body='Non-integer X-Delete-After')
-        actual_del_time = now + x_delete_after
-        if actual_del_time < now:
+        actual_del_time = utils.normalize_delete_at_timestamp(
+            now + x_delete_after)
+        if int(actual_del_time) < now:
             raise HTTPBadRequest(request=request,
                                  content_type='text/plain',
                                  body='X-Delete-After in past')
-        request.headers['x-delete-at'] = utils.normalize_delete_at_timestamp(
-            actual_del_time)
+        request.headers['x-delete-at'] = actual_del_time
         del request.headers['x-delete-after']
 
     if 'x-delete-at' in request.headers:
diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py b/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py
index 05ad8240f5..b55ec6bdc9 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py
@@ -283,6 +283,14 @@ class TestConstraints(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(cm.exception.status_int, HTTP_BAD_REQUEST)
         self.assertIn('X-Delete-After in past', cm.exception.body)
 
+        headers = {'X-Delete-After': '0',
+                   'X-Timestamp': str(time.time())}
+        with self.assertRaises(HTTPException) as cm:
+            constraints.check_delete_headers(
+                Request.blank('/', headers=headers))
+        self.assertEqual(cm.exception.status_int, HTTP_BAD_REQUEST)
+        self.assertIn('X-Delete-After in past', cm.exception.body)
+
         # X-Delete-At
         delete_at = str(int(ts + 100))
         headers = {'X-Delete-At': delete_at,