diff --git a/pytorch_lightning/trainer/data_loading.py b/pytorch_lightning/trainer/data_loading.py
index 84413697948d5..33bd99fcabc94 100644
--- a/pytorch_lightning/trainer/data_loading.py
+++ b/pytorch_lightning/trainer/data_loading.py
@@ -36,6 +36,15 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.shown_warnings = None
         self.val_check_interval = None
 
+    def _percent_range_check(self, name):
+        value = getattr(self, name)
+        msg = f"`{name}` must lie in the range [0.0, 1.0], but got {value:.3f}."
+        if name == "val_check_interval":
+            msg += " If you want to disable validation set `val_percent_check` to 0.0 instead."
+
+        if not 0. <= value <= 1.:
+            raise ValueError(msg)
+
     def init_train_dataloader(self, model):
         """
         Dataloaders are provided by the model
@@ -48,6 +57,8 @@ def init_train_dataloader(self, model):
         if EXIST_ITER_DATASET and isinstance(self.get_train_dataloader().dataset, IterableDataset):
             self.num_training_batches = float('inf')
         else:
+            self._percent_range_check('train_percent_check')
+
             self.num_training_batches = len(self.get_train_dataloader())
             self.num_training_batches = int(self.num_training_batches * self.train_percent_check)
 
@@ -56,7 +67,14 @@ def init_train_dataloader(self, model):
         # otherwise, it checks in [0, 1.0] % range of a training epoch
         if isinstance(self.val_check_interval, int):
             self.val_check_batch = self.val_check_interval
+            if self.val_check_batch > self.num_training_batches:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"`val_check_interval` ({self.val_check_interval}) must be less than or equal "
+                    f"to the number of the training batches ({self.num_training_batches}). "
+                    f"If you want to disable validation set `val_percent_check` to 0.0 instead.")
         else:
+            self._percent_range_check('val_check_interval')
+
             self.val_check_batch = int(self.num_training_batches * self.val_check_interval)
             self.val_check_batch = max(1, self.val_check_batch)
 
@@ -89,13 +107,15 @@ def init_val_dataloader(self, model):
         :return:
         """
         self.get_val_dataloaders = model.val_dataloader
+        self.num_val_batches = 0
 
         # determine number of validation batches
         # val datasets could be none, 1 or 2+
         if self.get_val_dataloaders() is not None:
+            self._percent_range_check('val_percent_check')
+
             self.num_val_batches = sum(len(dataloader) for dataloader in self.get_val_dataloaders())
             self.num_val_batches = int(self.num_val_batches * self.val_percent_check)
-            self.num_val_batches = max(1, self.num_val_batches)
 
         on_ddp = self.use_ddp or self.use_ddp2
         if on_ddp and self.get_val_dataloaders() is not None:
@@ -134,10 +154,11 @@ def init_test_dataloader(self, model):
 
         # determine number of test batches
         if self.get_test_dataloaders() is not None:
+            self._percent_range_check('test_percent_check')
+
             len_sum = sum(len(dataloader) for dataloader in self.get_test_dataloaders())
             self.num_test_batches = len_sum
             self.num_test_batches = int(self.num_test_batches * self.test_percent_check)
-            self.num_test_batches = max(1, self.num_test_batches)
 
         on_ddp = self.use_ddp or self.use_ddp2
         if on_ddp and self.get_test_dataloaders() is not None:
@@ -208,6 +229,10 @@ def determine_data_use_amount(self, train_percent_check, val_percent_check,
         self.val_percent_check = val_percent_check
         self.test_percent_check = test_percent_check
         if overfit_pct > 0:
+            if overfit_pct > 1:
+                raise ValueError(f"`overfit_pct` must be not greater than 1.0, but got "
+                                 f"{overfit_pct:.3f}.")
+
             self.train_percent_check = overfit_pct
             self.val_percent_check = overfit_pct
             self.test_percent_check = overfit_pct