diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala
index c76b7af18481..ed063844323a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala
@@ -1382,15 +1382,15 @@ private[spark] object Utils extends Logging {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Default number of retries in binding to a port.
+   * Default maximum number of retries when binding to a port before giving up.
    */
   val portMaxRetries: Int = {
     if (sys.props.contains("spark.testing")) {
       // Set a higher number of retries for tests...
-      sys.props.get("spark.ports.maxRetries").map(_.toInt).getOrElse(100)
+      sys.props.get("spark.port.maxRetries").map(_.toInt).getOrElse(100)
     } else {
       Option(SparkEnv.get)
-        .flatMap(_.conf.getOption("spark.ports.maxRetries"))
+        .flatMap(_.conf.getOption("spark.port.maxRetries"))
         .map(_.toInt)
         .getOrElse(16)
     }
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/JsonProtocolSuite.scala b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/JsonProtocolSuite.scala
index 2a58c6a40d8e..3f1cd0752e76 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/JsonProtocolSuite.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/JsonProtocolSuite.scala
@@ -115,11 +115,13 @@ class JsonProtocolSuite extends FunSuite {
     workerInfo.lastHeartbeat = JsonConstants.currTimeInMillis
     workerInfo
   }
+
   def createExecutorRunner(): ExecutorRunner = {
     new ExecutorRunner("appId", 123, createAppDesc(), 4, 1234, null, "workerId", "host",
       new File("sparkHome"), new File("workDir"), "akka://worker",
       new SparkConf, ExecutorState.RUNNING)
   }
+
   def createDriverRunner(): DriverRunner = {
     new DriverRunner(new SparkConf(), "driverId", new File("workDir"), new File("sparkHome"),
       createDriverDesc(), null, "akka://worker")
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 99faf51c6f3d..a6dd7245e155 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ Apart from these, the following properties are also available, and may be useful
   <td><code>spark.port.maxRetries</code></td>
   <td>16</td>
   <td>
-    Maximum number of retries when binding to a port before giving up.
+    Default maximum number of retries when binding to a port before giving up.
   </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
diff --git a/project/SparkBuild.scala b/project/SparkBuild.scala
index ab9f8ba120e8..12ac82293df7 100644
--- a/project/SparkBuild.scala
+++ b/project/SparkBuild.scala
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ object TestSettings {
     fork := true,
     javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.test.home=" + sparkHome,
     javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.testing=1",
-    javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.ports.maxRetries=100",
+    javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.port.maxRetries=100",
     javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.ui.enabled=false",
     javaOptions in Test += "-Dsun.io.serialization.extendedDebugInfo=true",
     javaOptions in Test ++= System.getProperties.filter(_._1 startsWith "spark")