diff --git a/cmd/sql-migrate/main.go b/cmd/sql-migrate/main.go
index cbfb6ab..3eab340 100644
--- a/cmd/sql-migrate/main.go
+++ b/cmd/sql-migrate/main.go
@@ -351,10 +351,10 @@ func main() {
 			fmt.Println("  ", d)
 		}
 	case "up":
-		var upN int
+		upN := -1
 		switch len(leafArgs) {
 		case 0:
-			// no arg: upN stays 0, meaning "all pending"
+			// no arg: apply all pending
 		case 1:
 			upN, err = strconv.Atoi(leafArgs[0])
 			if err != nil || upN < 1 {
diff --git a/database/sqlmigrate/README.md b/database/sqlmigrate/README.md
index 48ac473..e0f307a 100644
--- a/database/sqlmigrate/README.md
+++ b/database/sqlmigrate/README.md
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ Each backend is a separate Go module to avoid pulling unnecessary drivers:
 | [mymigrate](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/therootcompany/golib/database/sqlmigrate/mymigrate) | MySQL / MariaDB | go-sql-driver/mysql |
 | [litemigrate](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/therootcompany/golib/database/sqlmigrate/litemigrate) | SQLite | database/sql (caller imports driver) |
 | [msmigrate](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/therootcompany/golib/database/sqlmigrate/msmigrate) | SQL Server | go-mssqldb |
-| [shmigrate](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/therootcompany/golib/database/sqlmigrate/shmigrate) | Shell scripts | (generates POSIX sh) |
+| [shmigrate](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/therootcompany/golib/database/sqlmigrate/shmigrate) | Shell scripts | (uses native CLI) |
 
 ## CLI
 
 The [sql-migrate](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/therootcompany/golib/cmd/sql-migrate/v2) CLI
-uses shmigrate to generate shell scripts for managing migrations without a Go dependency at runtime.
+uses _shmigrate_ to generate shell scripts for managing migrations without a Go dependency at runtime.
diff --git a/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate.go b/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate.go
index c5f7a14..c627c8f 100644
--- a/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate.go
+++ b/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ var (
 	ErrWalkFailed   = errors.New("walking migrations")
 	ErrExecFailed   = errors.New("migration exec failed")
 	ErrQueryApplied = errors.New("querying applied migrations")
+	ErrInvalidN     = errors.New("n must be positive or -1 for all")
 )
 
 // Migration represents a paired up/down migration.
@@ -178,8 +179,13 @@ func findMigration(a AppliedMigration, byName map[string]Migration, byID map[str
 }
 
 // Up applies up to n pending migrations using the given Runner.
-// If n <= 0, applies all pending. Returns the names of applied migrations.
+// If n < 0, applies all pending. If n == 0, returns ErrInvalidN.
+// Returns the names of applied migrations.
 func Up(ctx context.Context, r Migrator, migrations []Migration, n int) ([]string, error) {
+	if n == 0 {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidN
+	}
+
 	applied, err := r.Applied(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -192,7 +198,7 @@ func Up(ctx context.Context, r Migrator, migrations []Migration, n int) ([]strin
 		}
 	}
 
-	if n <= 0 {
+	if n < 0 {
 		n = len(pending)
 	}
 	if n > len(pending) {
@@ -211,8 +217,13 @@ func Up(ctx context.Context, r Migrator, migrations []Migration, n int) ([]strin
 }
 
 // Down rolls back up to n applied migrations, most recent first.
-// If n <= 0, rolls back all applied. Returns the names of rolled-back migrations.
+// If n < 0, rolls back all applied. If n == 0, returns ErrInvalidN.
+// Returns the names of rolled-back migrations.
 func Down(ctx context.Context, r Migrator, migrations []Migration, n int) ([]string, error) {
+	if n == 0 {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidN
+	}
+
 	applied, err := r.Applied(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -231,7 +242,7 @@ func Down(ctx context.Context, r Migrator, migrations []Migration, n int) ([]str
 	copy(reversed, applied)
 	slices.Reverse(reversed)
 
-	if n <= 0 || n > len(reversed) {
+	if n < 0 || n > len(reversed) {
 		n = len(reversed)
 	}
 
diff --git a/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate_test.go b/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate_test.go
index 5111cf0..21576cc 100644
--- a/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate_test.go
+++ b/database/sqlmigrate/sqlmigrate_test.go
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func TestUp(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("apply all", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{}
-		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, -1)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -199,6 +199,14 @@ func TestUp(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	t.Run("n=0 is error", func(t *testing.T) {
+		m := &mockMigrator{}
+		_, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		if !errors.Is(err, sqlmigrate.ErrInvalidN) {
+			t.Errorf("got %v, want ErrInvalidN", err)
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("apply n", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{}
 		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, 2)
@@ -212,7 +220,7 @@ func TestUp(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("none pending", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{applied: applied("001_init", "002_users", "003_posts")}
-		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, -1)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -223,7 +231,7 @@ func TestUp(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("partial pending", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{applied: applied("001_init")}
-		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, -1)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -245,7 +253,7 @@ func TestUp(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("exec error stops and returns partial", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &failOnNthMigrator{failAt: 1}
-		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migrations, -1)
 		if err == nil {
 			t.Fatal("expected error")
 		}
@@ -263,7 +271,7 @@ func TestUp(t *testing.T) {
 			{Name: "001_new-name", ID: "aa11bb22", Up: "CREATE TABLE a;", Down: "DROP TABLE a;"},
 			{Name: "002_users", Up: "CREATE TABLE b;", Down: "DROP TABLE b;"},
 		}
-		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migs, 0)
+		ran, err := sqlmigrate.Up(ctx, m, migs, -1)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -315,7 +323,7 @@ func TestDown(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("rollback all", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{applied: applied("001_init", "002_users", "003_posts")}
-		rolled, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		rolled, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, -1)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -330,6 +338,14 @@ func TestDown(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	t.Run("n=0 is error", func(t *testing.T) {
+		m := &mockMigrator{applied: applied("001_init", "002_users")}
+		_, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		if !errors.Is(err, sqlmigrate.ErrInvalidN) {
+			t.Errorf("got %v, want ErrInvalidN", err)
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("rollback n", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{applied: applied("001_init", "002_users", "003_posts")}
 		rolled, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, 2)
@@ -343,7 +359,7 @@ func TestDown(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("none applied", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{}
-		rolled, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		rolled, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, -1)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -368,7 +384,7 @@ func TestDown(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("unknown migration in applied", func(t *testing.T) {
 		m := &mockMigrator{applied: applied("001_init", "999_unknown")}
-		_, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, 0)
+		_, err := sqlmigrate.Down(ctx, m, migrations, -1)
 		if !errors.Is(err, sqlmigrate.ErrMissingDown) {
 			t.Errorf("got %v, want ErrMissingDown", err)
 		}