diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationClient.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationClient.scala
index 079055e00c6c33c1917eeb786cb117d7c172d901..443830f8d03b6878beb73c1eb04876c6f95206d8 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationClient.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationClient.scala
@@ -26,25 +26,25 @@ private[spark] trait ExecutorAllocationClient {
   /**
    * Express a preference to the cluster manager for a given total number of executors.
    * This can result in canceling pending requests or filing additional requests.
-   * Return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
+   * @return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
    */
   private[spark] def requestTotalExecutors(numExecutors: Int): Boolean
 
   /**
    * Request an additional number of executors from the cluster manager.
-   * Return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
+   * @return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
    */
   def requestExecutors(numAdditionalExecutors: Int): Boolean
 
   /**
    * Request that the cluster manager kill the specified executors.
-   * Return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
+   * @return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
    */
   def killExecutors(executorIds: Seq[String]): Boolean
 
   /**
    * Request that the cluster manager kill the specified executor.
-   * Return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
+   * @return whether the request is acknowledged by the cluster manager.
    */
   def killExecutor(executorId: String): Boolean = killExecutors(Seq(executorId))
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/CoarseGrainedSchedulerBackend.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/CoarseGrainedSchedulerBackend.scala
index 99986c32b0fde699e9a35090bb31db2c870d7d3b..6f77fa32ce37b1710f7503757f072b9e60c59dde 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/CoarseGrainedSchedulerBackend.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/CoarseGrainedSchedulerBackend.scala
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ class CoarseGrainedSchedulerBackend(scheduler: TaskSchedulerImpl, val actorSyste
    * @return whether the request is acknowledged.
    */
   final override def requestTotalExecutors(numExecutors: Int): Boolean = synchronized {
-    if (numAdditionalExecutors < 0) {
+    if (numExecutors < 0) {
       throw new IllegalArgumentException(
         "Attempted to request a negative number of executor(s) " +
           s"$numExecutors from the cluster manager. Please specify a positive number!")
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationManagerSuite.scala b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationManagerSuite.scala
index 5d96eabd34eee6e54c6c4c3af9df35097229a822..d3123e854016bdd3a273850d92ea77f433e0798f 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationManagerSuite.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ExecutorAllocationManagerSuite.scala
@@ -297,15 +297,15 @@ class ExecutorAllocationManagerSuite extends FunSuite with LocalSparkContext {
     assert(removeExecutor(manager, "5"))
     assert(removeExecutor(manager, "6"))
     assert(executorIds(manager).size === 10)
-    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 0) // still at upper limit
+    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 1)
     onExecutorRemoved(manager, "3")
     onExecutorRemoved(manager, "4")
     assert(executorIds(manager).size === 8)
 
     // Add succeeds again, now that we are no longer at the upper limit
     // Number of executors added restarts at 1
-    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 1)
-    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 1) // upper limit reached again
+    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 2)
+    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 1) // upper limit reached
     assert(addExecutors(manager) === 0)
     assert(executorIds(manager).size === 8)
     onExecutorRemoved(manager, "5")
@@ -313,9 +313,7 @@ class ExecutorAllocationManagerSuite extends FunSuite with LocalSparkContext {
     onExecutorAdded(manager, "13")
     onExecutorAdded(manager, "14")
     assert(executorIds(manager).size === 8)
-    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 1)
-    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 1) // upper limit reached again
-    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 0)
+    assert(addExecutors(manager) === 0) // still at upper limit
     onExecutorAdded(manager, "15")
     onExecutorAdded(manager, "16")
     assert(executorIds(manager).size === 10)