diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtils.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtils.py
index 5152ae044a..8e5c1e0b42 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtils.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtils.py
@@ -788,8 +788,6 @@ class depth_params(object):
 
     def __init__(self, clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths=None, equalstep=False):
         '''self, clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_depth, final_depth, [user_depths=None], equalstep=False'''
-        if z_finish_step > step_down:
-            raise ValueError('z_finish_step must be less than step_down')
 
         self.__clearance_height = clearance_height
         self.__safe_height = safe_height
@@ -801,6 +799,9 @@ class depth_params(object):
         self.data = self.__get_depths(equalstep=equalstep)
         self.index = 0
 
+        if self.__z_finish_step > self.__step_down:
+            raise ValueError('z_finish_step must be less than step_down')
+
     def __iter__(self):
         self.index = 0
         return self
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathTests/TestPathDepthParams.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathTests/TestPathDepthParams.py
index 3dfa419e7f..fed0779fc8 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathTests/TestPathDepthParams.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathTests/TestPathDepthParams.py
@@ -26,151 +26,188 @@ import unittest
 
 class depthTestCases(unittest.TestCase):
     def test00(self):
-        '''Stepping down to zero '''
-        clearance_height= 15
-        safe_height = 12
+        """Stepping down to zero"""
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 15,
+            "safe_height": 12,
+            "start_depth": 10,
+            "step_down": 2,
+            "z_finish_step": 1,
+            "final_depth": 0,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
 
-        start_depth = 10
-        step_down = 2
-        z_finish_step = 1
-        final_depth = 0
-        user_depths =  None
+        expected = [8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 0]
 
-        expected =[8,6,4,2,1,0]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
     def test10(self):
-        '''Stepping from zero to a negative depth '''
+        """Stepping from zero to a negative depth"""
 
-        clearance_height= 10
-        safe_height = 5
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 10,
+            "safe_height": 5,
+            "start_depth": 0,
+            "step_down": 2,
+            "z_finish_step": 0,
+            "final_depth": -10,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
 
-        start_depth = 0
-        step_down = 2
-        z_finish_step = 0
-        final_depth = -10
-        user_depths =  None
+        expected = [-2, -4, -6, -8, -10]
 
-        expected =[-2, -4, -6, -8, -10]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
     def test20(self):
-        '''Start and end are equal or start lower than finish '''
-        clearance_height= 15
-        safe_height = 12
+        """Start and end are equal or start lower than finish"""
 
-        start_depth = 10
-        step_down = 2
-        z_finish_step = 0
-        final_depth = 10
-        user_depths =  None
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 15,
+            "safe_height": 12,
+            "start_depth": 10,
+            "step_down": 2,
+            "z_finish_step": 0,
+            "final_depth": 10,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
+        expected = [10]
 
-        expected =[10]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
-        start_depth = 10
-        final_depth = 15
+        args["start_depth"] = 10
+        args["final_depth"] = 15
 
-        expected =[]
+        expected = []
 
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
     def test30(self):
-        '''User Parameters passed in'''
-        clearance_height= 10
-        safe_height = 5
+        """User Parameters passed in"""
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 10,
+            "safe_height": 5,
+            "start_depth": 0,
+            "step_down": 2,
+            "z_finish_step": 0,
+            "final_depth": -10,
+            "user_depths": [2, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12],
+        }
 
-        start_depth = 0
-        step_down = 2
-        z_finish_step = 0
-        final_depth = -10
-        user_depths =  [2, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12]
+        expected = [2, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12]
 
-        expected =[2, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
     def test40(self):
-        '''z_finish_step passed in.'''
-        clearance_height= 10
-        safe_height = 5
+        """z_finish_step passed in."""
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 10,
+            "safe_height": 5,
+            "start_depth": 0,
+            "step_down": 2,
+            "z_finish_step": 1,
+            "final_depth": -10,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
 
-        start_depth = 0
-        step_down = 2
-        z_finish_step = 1
-        final_depth = -10
-        user_depths =  None
+        expected = [-2, -4, -6, -8, -9, -10]
 
-        expected =[-2, -4, -6, -8, -9, -10]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
-
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
     def test50(self):
-        '''stepping down with equalstep=True'''
-        clearance_height= 10
-        safe_height = 5
+        """stepping down with equalstep=True"""
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 10,
+            "safe_height": 5,
+            "start_depth": 10,
+            "step_down": 3,
+            "z_finish_step": 0,
+            "final_depth": 0,
+            "user_depths": None,
+            "equalstep": True,
+        }
 
-        start_depth = 10
-        step_down = 3
-        z_finish_step = 0
-        final_depth = 0
-        user_depths =  None
+        expected = [7.5, 5.0, 2.5, 0]
 
-        expected =[7.5, 5.0, 2.5, 0]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths, equalstep=True)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
-
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
     def test60(self):
-        '''stepping down with equalstep=True and a finish depth'''
-        clearance_height= 10
-        safe_height = 5
+        """stepping down with equalstep=True and a finish depth"""
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 10,
+            "safe_height": 5,
+            "start_depth": 10,
+            "step_down": 3,
+            "z_finish_step": 1,
+            "final_depth": 0,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
 
-        start_depth = 10
-        step_down = 3
-        z_finish_step = 1
-        final_depth = 0
-        user_depths =  None
+        expected = [7.0, 4.0, 1.0, 0]
 
-        expected =[7.0, 4.0, 1.0, 0]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths, equalstep=True)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
     def test70(self):
-        '''stepping down with stepdown greater than total depth'''
-        clearance_height= 10
-        safe_height = 5
+        """stepping down with stepdown greater than total depth"""
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 10,
+            "safe_height": 5,
+            "start_depth": 10,
+            "step_down": 20,
+            "z_finish_step": 1,
+            "final_depth": 0,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
 
-        start_depth = 10
-        step_down = 20
-        z_finish_step = 1
-        final_depth = 0
-        user_depths =  None
+        expected = [1.0, 0]
 
-        expected =[1.0, 0]
-
-        d = PathUtils.depth_params(clearance_height, safe_height, start_depth, step_down, z_finish_step, final_depth, user_depths)
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
         r = [i for i in d]
-        self.assertListEqual (r, expected)
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
 
+    def test80(self):
+        """Test handling of negative step-down, negative finish step, and relative size of step/finish"""
 
+        # negative steps should be converted to positive values
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 3,
+            "safe_height": 3,
+            "start_depth": 2,
+            "step_down": -1,
+            "z_finish_step": -1,
+            "final_depth": 0,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
+
+        expected = [1.0, 0]
+
+        d = PathUtils.depth_params(**args)
+        r = [i for i in d]
+        self.assertListEqual(r, expected)
+
+        # a step_down less than the finish step is an error
+        args = {
+            "clearance_height": 3,
+            "safe_height": 3,
+            "start_depth": 2,
+            "step_down": 0.1,
+            "z_finish_step": 1,
+            "final_depth": 0,
+            "user_depths": None,
+        }
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, PathUtils.depth_params, **args)