extern int seq_default_timer_subdevice;
 extern int seq_default_timer_resolution;
 
+/* allowed sequencer timer frequencies, in Hz */
+#define MIN_FREQUENCY          10
+#define MAX_FREQUENCY          6250
+#define DEFAULT_FREQUENCY      1000
+
 #define SKEW_BASE      0x10000 /* 16bit shift */
 
 static void snd_seq_timer_set_tick_resolution(seq_timer_tick_t *tick,
 static int initialize_timer(seq_timer_t *tmr)
 {
        snd_timer_t *t;
+       unsigned long freq;
+
        t = tmr->timeri->timer;
        snd_assert(t, return -EINVAL);
 
+       freq = tmr->preferred_resolution;
+       if (!freq)
+               freq = DEFAULT_FREQUENCY;
+       else if (freq < MIN_FREQUENCY)
+               freq = MIN_FREQUENCY;
+       else if (freq > MAX_FREQUENCY)
+               freq = MAX_FREQUENCY;
+
        tmr->ticks = 1;
-       if (tmr->preferred_resolution &&
-           ! (t->hw.flags & SNDRV_TIMER_HW_SLAVE)) {
+       if (!(t->hw.flags & SNDRV_TIMER_HW_SLAVE)) {
                unsigned long r = t->hw.resolution;
                if (! r && t->hw.c_resolution)
                        r = t->hw.c_resolution(t);
                if (r) {
-                       tmr->ticks = (unsigned int)(1000000000uL / (r * tmr->preferred_resolution));
+                       tmr->ticks = (unsigned int)(1000000000uL / (r * freq));
                        if (! tmr->ticks)
                                tmr->ticks = 1;
                }