diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index ba5672d4c51..093d5fd472a 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ croc100
 Cal Leeming
 Carl Friedrich Bolz
 Carlos Jenkins
+Cen Fangyu (Dmao233)
 Ceridwen
 Charles Cloud
 Charles Machalow
diff --git a/changelog/14953.bugfix.rst b/changelog/14953.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bacb105878e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/14953.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+The :confval:`max_warnings` configuration option now accepts integer values in TOML configuration files, while still accepting strings for backward compatibility.
diff --git a/doc/en/reference/reference.rst b/doc/en/reference/reference.rst
index 362d5c917e2..62165abfb30 100644
--- a/doc/en/reference/reference.rst
+++ b/doc/en/reference/reference.rst
@@ -1705,7 +1705,7 @@ passed multiple times. The expected format is ``name=value``. For example::
 
 
 .. confval:: max_warnings
-   :type: ``int``
+   :type: ``int | str``
 
    .. versionadded:: 9.1
 
@@ -3671,7 +3671,7 @@ All the command-line flags can also be obtained by running ``pytest --help``::
                             Each line specifies a pattern for
                             warnings.filterwarnings. Processed after
                             -W/--pythonwarnings.
-      max_warnings (string):
+      max_warnings (int | string):
                             Exit with error if all tests pass but the number of
                             warnings exceeds this threshold
       norecursedirs (args): Directory patterns to avoid for recursion
diff --git a/src/_pytest/main.py b/src/_pytest/main.py
index 1b337e20c7e..6f2e34ed56e 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/main.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/main.py
@@ -141,9 +141,13 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         "warnings.filterwarnings. "
         "Processed after -W/--pythonwarnings.",
     )
+    # ``int | str`` (not plain ``int``) for backward compatibility: INI files
+    # and ``-o`` overrides provide the value as a string.
     parser.addini(
         "max_warnings",
         help="Exit with error if all tests pass but the number of warnings exceeds this threshold",
+        type=int | str,
+        default=None,
     )
 
     group = parser.getgroup("collect", "collection")
diff --git a/src/_pytest/terminal.py b/src/_pytest/terminal.py
index 825435225b3..26eb1d341cf 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/terminal.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/terminal.py
@@ -1093,9 +1093,9 @@ def _get_max_warnings(self) -> int | None:
         if value is not None:
             return int(value)
         ini_value = self.config.getini("max_warnings")
-        if ini_value:
-            return int(ini_value)
-        return None
+        if ini_value is None:
+            return None
+        return int(ini_value)
 
     #
     # Summaries for sessionfinish.
diff --git a/testing/test_warnings.py b/testing/test_warnings.py
index 017781c2355..402333bb298 100644
--- a/testing/test_warnings.py
+++ b/testing/test_warnings.py
@@ -1005,6 +1005,12 @@ def test_two():
             warnings.warn(UserWarning("warning two"))
     """
 
+    ONE_WARNING_PYFILE = """
+        import warnings
+        def test_warning():
+            warnings.warn(UserWarning("example warning"))
+    """
+
     @pytest.mark.filterwarnings("default::UserWarning")
     def test_max_warnings_not_set(self, pytester: Pytester) -> None:
         """Without --max-warnings, warnings don't affect exit code."""
@@ -1145,6 +1151,96 @@ def test_one():
         result.assert_outcomes(passed=1, warnings=1)
         assert result.ret == ExitCode.OK
 
+    @pytest.mark.filterwarnings("default::UserWarning")
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        ("writer", "source"),
+        [
+            pytest.param(
+                "toml",
+                """
+                [pytest]
+                max_warnings = 0
+                """,
+                id="pytest-toml-int",
+            ),
+            pytest.param(
+                "toml",
+                """
+                [pytest]
+                max_warnings = "0"
+                """,
+                id="pytest-toml-string",
+            ),
+            pytest.param(
+                "pyproject",
+                """
+                [tool.pytest]
+                max_warnings = 0
+                """,
+                id="pyproject-native-int",
+            ),
+            pytest.param(
+                "pyproject",
+                """
+                [tool.pytest]
+                max_warnings = "0"
+                """,
+                id="pyproject-native-string",
+            ),
+            pytest.param(
+                "ini",
+                """
+                [pytest]
+                max_warnings = 0
+                """,
+                id="pytest-ini",
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_max_warnings_config_accepts_int_and_string(
+        self, pytester: Pytester, writer: str, source: str
+    ) -> None:
+        """Native TOML integers and quoted/INI strings are accepted (#14953).
+
+        An explicit zero must be distinguished from the unset default.
+        """
+        if writer == "toml":
+            pytester.maketoml(source)
+        elif writer == "pyproject":
+            pytester.makepyprojecttoml(source)
+        else:
+            assert writer == "ini"
+            pytester.makeini(source)
+        pytester.makepyfile(self.ONE_WARNING_PYFILE)
+        result = pytester.runpytest()
+        assert result.ret == ExitCode.MAX_WARNINGS_ERROR
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(
+            ["*Tests pass, but maximum allowed warnings exceeded: 1 > 0*"]
+        )
+
+    @pytest.mark.filterwarnings("default::UserWarning")
+    def test_max_warnings_override_ini(self, pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+        """-o max_warnings=0 is accepted and treated as an explicit zero (#14953)."""
+        pytester.makepyfile(self.ONE_WARNING_PYFILE)
+        result = pytester.runpytest("-o", "max_warnings=0")
+        assert result.ret == ExitCode.MAX_WARNINGS_ERROR
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(
+            ["*Tests pass, but maximum allowed warnings exceeded: 1 > 0*"]
+        )
+
+    @pytest.mark.filterwarnings("default::UserWarning")
+    def test_max_warnings_cli_overrides_ini(self, pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+        """--max-warnings takes precedence over the configuration value."""
+        pytester.makeini(
+            """
+            [pytest]
+            max_warnings = 10
+            """
+        )
+        pytester.makepyfile(self.PYFILE)
+        result = pytester.runpytest("--max-warnings", "0")
+        assert result.ret == ExitCode.MAX_WARNINGS_ERROR
+
 
 def test_pythonwarnings_not_duplicated(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
     """Regression test for #13484: -W values should not be duplicated in