diff --git a/docs/reference/installation.md b/docs/reference/installation.md
index f3c8da8..23d7950 100644
--- a/docs/reference/installation.md
+++ b/docs/reference/installation.md
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ formatter = StdlibFormatter(
 
 #### Limiting stack traces [_limiting_stack_traces]
 
-The `StdlibLogger` automatically gathers `exc_info` into ECS `error.*` fields. If you’d like to control the number of stack frames that are included in `error.stack_trace` you can use the `stack_trace_limit` parameter (by default all frames are collected):
+The `StdlibLogger` automatically gathers `exc_info` into ECS `error.*` fields. If you’d like to control the number of stack frames that are included in `error.stack_trace` you can use the `stack_trace_limit` parameter (by default all frames are collected). Positive values include frames starting from the caller's frame. Negative values include the last `N` frames (closest to the error):
 
 ```python
 from ecs_logging import StdlibFormatter
@@ -94,6 +94,10 @@ formatter = StdlibFormatter(
     # Only collects 3 stack frames
     stack_trace_limit=3,
 )
+formatter = StdlibFormatter(
+    # Collects the last 2 frames (closest to the error)
+    stack_trace_limit=-2,
+)
 formatter = StdlibFormatter(
     # Disable stack trace collection
     stack_trace_limit=0,
@@ -322,4 +326,3 @@ labels:
 
 :::::::
 For more information, see the [Filebeat reference](beats://reference/filebeat/configuring-howto-filebeat.md).
-
diff --git a/ecs_logging/_stdlib.py b/ecs_logging/_stdlib.py
index 8e541d7..79843f6 100644
--- a/ecs_logging/_stdlib.py
+++ b/ecs_logging/_stdlib.py
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ def __init__(
         :param int stack_trace_limit:
             Specifies the maximum number of frames to include for stack
             traces. Defaults to ``None`` which includes all available frames.
-            Setting this to zero will suppress stack traces.
+            Setting this to zero will suppress stack traces. Positive values
+            include frames starting from the caller's frame. Negative values
+            include the last ``N`` frames (closest to the error).
             This setting doesn't affect ``LogRecord.stack_info`` because
             this attribute is typically already pre-formatted.
         :param Optional[Dict[str, Any]] extra:
@@ -116,13 +118,7 @@ def __init__(
 
         if stack_trace_limit is not None:
             if not isinstance(stack_trace_limit, int):
-                raise TypeError(
-                    "'stack_trace_limit' must be None, or a non-negative integer"
-                )
-            elif stack_trace_limit < 0:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    "'stack_trace_limit' must be None, or a non-negative integer"
-                )
+                raise TypeError("'stack_trace_limit' must be None or an integer")
 
         if (
             not isinstance(exclude_fields, collections.abc.Sequence)
@@ -283,7 +279,7 @@ def _record_error_stack_trace(self, record: logging.LogRecord) -> Optional[str]:
         if (
             record.exc_info
             and record.exc_info[2] is not None
-            and (self._stack_trace_limit is None or self._stack_trace_limit > 0)
+            and (self._stack_trace_limit is None or self._stack_trace_limit != 0)
         ):
             return (
                 "".join(format_tb(record.exc_info[2], limit=self._stack_trace_limit))
diff --git a/tests/test_stdlib_formatter.py b/tests/test_stdlib_formatter.py
index d993186..917daa8 100644
--- a/tests/test_stdlib_formatter.py
+++ b/tests/test_stdlib_formatter.py
@@ -208,7 +208,16 @@ def test_exc_info_false_does_not_raise(logger):
     assert "error" not in ecs
 
 
-def test_stack_trace_limit_traceback(logger):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("stack_trace_limit", "expected_in", "expected_not_in"),
+    [
+        (2, ("f()", "g()"), ("h()",)),
+        (-2, ("h()",), ("f()", "g()")),
+    ],
+)
+def test_stack_trace_limit_traceback(
+    stack_trace_limit, expected_in, expected_not_in, logger
+):
     def f():
         g()
 
@@ -220,7 +229,9 @@ def h():
 
     stream = StringIO()
     handler = logging.StreamHandler(stream)
-    handler.setFormatter(ecs_logging.StdlibFormatter(stack_trace_limit=2))
+    handler.setFormatter(
+        ecs_logging.StdlibFormatter(stack_trace_limit=stack_trace_limit)
+    )
     logger.addHandler(handler)
     logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
 
@@ -231,8 +242,8 @@ def h():
 
     ecs = json.loads(stream.getvalue().rstrip())
     error_stack_trace = ecs["error"].pop("stack_trace")
-    assert all(x in error_stack_trace for x in ("f()", "g()"))
-    assert "h()" not in error_stack_trace
+    assert all(x in error_stack_trace for x in expected_in)
+    assert all(x not in error_stack_trace for x in expected_not_in)
     assert ecs["error"] == {
         "message": "error!",
         "type": "ValueError",
@@ -245,11 +256,7 @@ def h():
 def test_stack_trace_limit_types_and_values():
     with pytest.raises(TypeError) as e:
         ecs_logging.StdlibFormatter(stack_trace_limit="a")
-    assert str(e.value) == "'stack_trace_limit' must be None, or a non-negative integer"
-
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
-        ecs_logging.StdlibFormatter(stack_trace_limit=-1)
-    assert str(e.value) == "'stack_trace_limit' must be None, or a non-negative integer"
+    assert str(e.value) == "'stack_trace_limit' must be None or an integer"
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(