diff --git a/backoff/_common.py b/backoff/_common.py
index 2b2e54e..e867ed6 100644
--- a/backoff/_common.py
+++ b/backoff/_common.py
@@ -32,12 +32,18 @@ def _init_wait_gen(wait_gen, wait_gen_kwargs):
 
 
 def _next_wait(wait, send_value, jitter, elapsed, max_time):
+    remaining_time = None
+    if max_time is not None:
+        remaining_time = max_time - elapsed
+        if remaining_time <= 0:  # we equal/exceed time limit
+            return 0
+
     value = wait.send(send_value)
+    if remaining_time and value >= remaining_time:
+        return remaining_time
+
     try:
-        if jitter is not None:
-            seconds = jitter(value)
-        else:
-            seconds = value
+        seconds = jitter(value) if jitter is not None else value
     except TypeError:
         warnings.warn(
             "Nullary jitter function signature is deprecated. Use "
@@ -46,12 +52,11 @@ def _next_wait(wait, send_value, jitter, elapsed, max_time):
             DeprecationWarning,
             stacklevel=2,
         )
-
         seconds = value + jitter()
 
-    # don't sleep longer than remaining allotted max_time
-    if max_time is not None:
-        seconds = min(seconds, max_time - elapsed)
+    # adding jitter may push value over max_limit
+    if remaining_time and seconds >= remaining_time:
+        return remaining_time
 
     return seconds
 
diff --git a/tests/test_common.py b/tests/test_common.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32dec7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_common.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# coding:utf-8
+import unittest.mock
+
+from backoff._common import _next_wait
+
+
+def test_next_wait_trunc_wait_fn():
+    wait_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    wait_mock.send.side_effect = lambda x: x + 2
+
+    # 9 + 2 > 10
+    assert _next_wait(wait_mock, 9, None, 0, 10) == 10
+    wait_mock.send.assert_called_once_with(9)
+
+
+def test_next_wait_trunc_wait_fn_elapsed():
+    wait_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    wait_mock.send.side_effect = lambda x: x + 2
+
+    # 4 + 2 > 10 - 5
+    assert _next_wait(wait_mock, 4, None, 5, 10) == 5
+    wait_mock.send.assert_called_once_with(4)
+
+
+def test_next_wait_elapsed_wait():
+    wait_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    wait_mock.send.side_effect = lambda x: x + 2
+
+    assert _next_wait(wait_mock, 0, None, 10, 10) == 0
+    wait_mock.send.assert_not_called()
+    assert _next_wait(wait_mock, 0, None, 11, 10) == 0
+    wait_mock.send.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_next_wait_jitter_over():
+    wait_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    wait_mock.send.side_effect = lambda x: x + 2
+
+    jitter_fn_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    jitter_fn_mock.side_effect = lambda x: x + 2
+
+    # 8 + 2 + 1 > 10
+    assert _next_wait(wait_mock, 7, jitter_fn_mock, 0, 10) == 10
+    wait_mock.send.assert_called_once_with(7)
+    jitter_fn_mock.assert_called_once_with(9)
+
+
+def test_next_wait_jitter_skipped():
+    wait_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    wait_mock.send.side_effect = lambda x: x + 2
+
+    jitter_fn_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    jitter_fn_mock.side_effect = lambda x: x - 1
+
+    # 8 + 2 == 10
+    assert _next_wait(wait_mock, 8, jitter_fn_mock, 0, 10) == 10
+    wait_mock.send.assert_called_once_with(8)
+    jitter_fn_mock.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_next_wait_jitter_under():
+    wait_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    wait_mock.send.side_effect = lambda x: x + 2
+
+    jitter_fn_mock = unittest.mock.Mock()
+    jitter_fn_mock.side_effect = lambda x: x - 1
+
+    # 7 + 2 - 1 == 8
+    assert _next_wait(wait_mock, 7, jitter_fn_mock, 0, 10) == 8
+    wait_mock.send.assert_called_once_with(7)
+    jitter_fn_mock.assert_called_once_with(9)