diff --git a/fail2ban/server/database.py b/fail2ban/server/database.py
index 90a48d8d..7b457fc9 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/database.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/database.py
@@ -541,8 +541,13 @@ class Fail2BanDb(object):
 		#TODO: Implement data parts once arbitrary match keys completed
 		data = ticket.getData()
 		matches = data.get('matches')
-		if matches and len(matches) > self.maxEntries:
-			data['matches'] = matches[-self.maxEntries:]
+		if self.maxEntries:
+			if matches and len(matches) > self.maxEntries:
+				data = data.copy()
+				data['matches'] = matches[-self.maxEntries:]
+		elif matches:
+			data = data.copy()
+			del data['matches']
 		cur.execute(
 			"INSERT INTO bans(jail, ip, timeofban, data) VALUES(?, ?, ?, ?)",
 			(jail.name, ip, int(round(ticket.getTime())), data))
@@ -702,6 +707,8 @@ class Fail2BanDb(object):
 			queryArgs.append(fromtime - forbantime)
 		if ip is None:
 			query += " GROUP BY ip ORDER BY ip, timeofban DESC"
+		else:
+			query += " ORDER BY timeofban DESC LIMIT 1"
 		cur = self._db.cursor()
 		return cur.execute(query, queryArgs)
 
@@ -718,9 +725,10 @@ class Fail2BanDb(object):
 				# logSys.debug('restore ticket   %r, %r, %r', banip, timeofban, data)
 				ticket = FailTicket(banip, timeofban, data=data)
 				# logSys.debug('restored ticket: %r', ticket)
+				if ip is not None: return ticket
 				tickets.append(ticket)
 
-		return tickets if ip is None else ticket
+		return tickets
 
 	@commitandrollback
 	def purge(self, cur):
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/failmanager.py b/fail2ban/server/failmanager.py
index 06967bae..bd1f3e73 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/failmanager.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/failmanager.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class FailManager:
 					attempt = 1
 				else:
 					# will be incremented / extended (be sure we have at least +1 attempt):
-					matches = ticket.getMatches()
+					matches = ticket.getMatches() if self.maxEntries else None
 					attempt = ticket.getAttempt()
 					if attempt <= 0:
 						attempt += 1
@@ -98,9 +98,12 @@ class FailManager:
 					fData.setRetry(0)
 				fData.inc(matches, attempt, count)
 				# truncate to maxEntries:
-				matches = fData.getMatches()
-				if len(matches) > self.maxEntries:
-					fData.setMatches(matches[-self.maxEntries:])
+				if self.maxEntries:
+					matches = fData.getMatches()
+					if len(matches) > self.maxEntries:
+						fData.setMatches(matches[-self.maxEntries:])
+				else:
+					fData.setMatches(None)
 			except KeyError:
 				# if already FailTicket - add it direct, otherwise create (using copy all ticket data):
 				if isinstance(ticket, FailTicket):
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/ticket.py b/fail2ban/server/ticket.py
index a1d67583..5a750d02 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/ticket.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/ticket.py
@@ -135,7 +135,13 @@ class Ticket(object):
 		return self._data['failures']
 
 	def setMatches(self, matches):
-		self._data['matches'] = matches or []
+		if matches:
+			self._data['matches'] = matches
+		else:
+			try:
+				del self._data['matches']
+			except KeyError:
+				pass
 
 	def getMatches(self):
 		return [(line if not isinstance(line, (list, tuple)) else "".join(line)) \
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/databasetestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/databasetestcase.py
index cb8beecc..8865cf45 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/databasetestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/databasetestcase.py
@@ -361,7 +361,6 @@ class DatabaseTest(LogCaptureTestCase):
 		ticket.setAttempt(len(failures))
 		self.db.addBan(self.jail, ticket)
 		# should retrieve 2 matches only, but count of all attempts:
-		self.db.maxEntries = maxEntries;
 		ticket = self.db.getBansMerged("127.0.0.1")
 		self.assertEqual(ticket.getAttempt(), 2 * len(failures))
 		self.assertEqual(len(ticket.getMatches()), maxEntries)
@@ -372,6 +371,13 @@ class DatabaseTest(LogCaptureTestCase):
 		self.assertEqual(ticket.getAttempt(), len(failures))
 		self.assertEqual(len(ticket.getMatches()), maxEntries)
 		self.assertEqual(ticket.getMatches(), matches2find[-maxEntries:])
+		# should retrieve 0 matches by last ban:
+		self.db.maxEntries = 0;
+		self.db.addBan(self.jail, ticket)
+		ticket = self.db.getCurrentBans(self.jail, "127.0.0.1", fromtime=MyTime.time()-100)
+		self.assertTrue(ticket is not None)
+		self.assertEqual(ticket.getAttempt(), len(failures))
+		self.assertEqual(len(ticket.getMatches()), 0)
 
 	def testGetBansMerged(self):
 		self.testAddJail()
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/failmanagertestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/failmanagertestcase.py
index 18f2c545..7e4451eb 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/failmanagertestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/failmanagertestcase.py
@@ -110,6 +110,14 @@ class AddFailure(unittest.TestCase):
 		self.assertEqual(ticket.getAttempt(), 2 * len(failures) + 1)
 		self.assertEqual(len(ticket.getMatches()), maxEntries)
 		self.assertEqual(ticket.getMatches(), failures[len(failures) - maxEntries:])
+		# no matches by maxEntries == 0 :
+		self.__failManager.maxEntries = 0
+		self.__failManager.addFailure(ticket)
+		manFailList = self.__failManager._FailManager__failList
+		ticket = manFailList["127.0.0.1"]
+		self.assertEqual(len(ticket.getMatches()), 0)
+		# test set matches None to None:
+		ticket.setMatches(None)
 	
 	def testFailManagerMaxTime(self):
 		self._addDefItems()