diff --git a/types/encoding.go b/types/encoding.go
index 59d55169..35ad5935 100644
--- a/types/encoding.go
+++ b/types/encoding.go
@@ -181,12 +181,12 @@ func (d *Decoder) ReadUint64() uint64 {
 }
 
 // ReadPrefix reads a length prefix from the underlying stream. If the length
-// exceeds the number of bytes remaining in the stream, ReadPrefix sets d.Err
+// exceeds the maximum number of elements, ReadPrefix sets d.Err
 // and returns 0.
-func (d *Decoder) ReadPrefix(max int64) int {
+func (d *Decoder) ReadPrefix(limit int64) int {
 	n := d.ReadUint64()
-	if n > uint64(max) {
-		d.SetErr(fmt.Errorf("encoded object contains invalid length prefix (%v elems > %v elems)", n, max))
+	if n > uint64(limit) {
+		d.SetErr(fmt.Errorf("encoded object contains invalid length prefix (%v elems > %v elems)", n, limit))
 		return 0
 	}
 	return int(n)