diff --git a/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp b/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp
index 7a9c5e5e..85a81657 100644
--- a/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp
@@ -204,12 +204,12 @@ std::string removeBeginEndSpacesTabs(std::string str) {
     return str;
 }
 
-float getPlusMinusKeywordResult(std::string source, float relative) {
+std::optional<float> getPlusMinusKeywordResult(std::string source, float relative) {
     try {
         return relative + stof(source);
     } catch (...) {
         Debug::log(ERR, "Invalid arg \"{}\" in getPlusMinusKeywordResult!", source);
-        return INT_MAX;
+        return {};
     }
 }
 
@@ -300,7 +300,13 @@ int getWorkspaceIDFromString(const std::string& in, std::string& outName) {
                 Debug::log(ERR, "Relative monitor workspace on monitor null!");
                 return WORKSPACE_INVALID;
             }
-            result = (int)getPlusMinusKeywordResult(in.substr(1), 0);
+
+            const auto PLUSMINUSRESULT = getPlusMinusKeywordResult(in.substr(1), 0);
+
+            if (!PLUSMINUSRESULT.has_value())
+                return WORKSPACE_INVALID;
+
+            result = (int)PLUSMINUSRESULT.value();
 
             int           remains = (int)result;
 
@@ -436,7 +442,12 @@ int getWorkspaceIDFromString(const std::string& in, std::string& outName) {
             }
 
             // monitor relative
-            result = (int)getPlusMinusKeywordResult(in.substr(1), 0);
+            const auto PLUSMINUSRESULT = getPlusMinusKeywordResult(in.substr(1), 0);
+
+            if (!PLUSMINUSRESULT.has_value())
+                return WORKSPACE_INVALID;
+
+            result = (int)PLUSMINUSRESULT.value();
 
             // result now has +/- what we should move on mon
             int              remains = (int)result;
@@ -477,9 +488,13 @@ int getWorkspaceIDFromString(const std::string& in, std::string& outName) {
             outName = g_pCompositor->getWorkspaceByID(validWSes[currentItem])->m_szName;
         } else {
             if (in[0] == '+' || in[0] == '-') {
-                if (g_pCompositor->m_pLastMonitor)
-                    result = std::max((int)getPlusMinusKeywordResult(in, g_pCompositor->m_pLastMonitor->activeWorkspace), 1);
-                else {
+                if (g_pCompositor->m_pLastMonitor) {
+                    const auto PLUSMINUSRESULT = getPlusMinusKeywordResult(in, g_pCompositor->m_pLastMonitor->activeWorkspace);
+                    if (!PLUSMINUSRESULT.has_value())
+                        return WORKSPACE_INVALID;
+
+                    result = std::max((int)PLUSMINUSRESULT.value(), 1);
+                } else {
                     Debug::log(ERR, "Relative workspace on no mon!");
                     return WORKSPACE_INVALID;
                 }
diff --git a/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.hpp b/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.hpp
index b2fe5858..90479121 100644
--- a/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.hpp
+++ b/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void                             logSystemInfo();
 std::string                      execAndGet(const char*);
 int64_t                          getPPIDof(int64_t pid);
 int64_t                          configStringToInt(const std::string&);
-float                            getPlusMinusKeywordResult(std::string in, float relative);
+std::optional<float>             getPlusMinusKeywordResult(std::string in, float relative);
 void                             matrixProjection(float mat[9], int w, int h, wl_output_transform tr);
 double                           normalizeAngleRad(double ang);
 std::string                      replaceInString(std::string subject, const std::string& search, const std::string& replace);
diff --git a/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp b/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp
index d8307de2..553872a5 100644
--- a/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp
+++ b/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp
@@ -1216,24 +1216,16 @@ void CKeybindManager::toggleSplit(std::string args) {
 }
 
 void CKeybindManager::alterSplitRatio(std::string args) {
-    float splitratio = 0;
-    bool  exact      = false;
+    std::optional<float> splitResult;
+    bool                 exact = false;
 
-    if (args == "+" || args == "-") {
-        Debug::log(LOG, "alterSplitRatio: using LEGACY +/-, consider switching to the Hyprland syntax.");
-        splitratio = (args == "+" ? 0.05f : -0.05f);
-    }
+    if (args.starts_with("exact")) {
+        exact       = true;
+        splitResult = getPlusMinusKeywordResult(args.substr(5), 0);
+    } else
+        splitResult = getPlusMinusKeywordResult(args, 0);
 
-    if (splitratio == 0) {
-        if (args.starts_with("exact")) {
-            exact      = true;
-            splitratio = getPlusMinusKeywordResult(args.substr(5), 0);
-        } else {
-            splitratio = getPlusMinusKeywordResult(args, 0);
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (splitratio == WORKSPACE_INVALID) {
+    if (!splitResult.has_value()) {
         Debug::log(ERR, "Splitratio invalid in alterSplitRatio!");
         return;
     }
@@ -1243,7 +1235,7 @@ void CKeybindManager::alterSplitRatio(std::string args) {
     if (!PLASTWINDOW)
         return;
 
-    g_pLayoutManager->getCurrentLayout()->alterSplitRatio(PLASTWINDOW, splitratio, exact);
+    g_pLayoutManager->getCurrentLayout()->alterSplitRatio(PLASTWINDOW, splitResult.value(), exact);
 }
 
 void CKeybindManager::focusMonitor(std::string arg) {