diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts
index 400f3881fd..473b11254f 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts
@@ -1181,6 +1181,11 @@ export class Frame extends SdkObject {
         if (options.expression.endsWith('.array') && expectsEmptyList !== options.isNot)
           return { matches: expectsEmptyList };
 
+        // expect(listLocator).toHaveCount(0) passes when there are no elements matching.
+        // expect(listLocator).not.toHaveCount(1) passes when there are no elements matching.
+        if (options.expression === 'to.have.count')
+          return { matches: options.expectedNumber === 0, received: options.expectedNumber };
+
         // When none of the above applies, keep waiting for the element.
         return continuePolling;
       }
diff --git a/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.misc.spec.ts b/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.misc.spec.ts
index 9ccb38fc56..4986a82ae4 100644
--- a/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.misc.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.misc.spec.ts
@@ -33,10 +33,41 @@ test('should support toHaveCount', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
         await promise;
         expect(done).toBe(true);
       });
+
+      test('pass zero', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.setContent('<div></div>');
+        const locator = page.locator('span');
+        await expect(locator).toHaveCount(0);
+        await expect(locator).not.toHaveCount(1);
+      });
+
+      test('eventually pass zero', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.setContent('<div></div>');
+        const locator = page.locator('span');
+        setTimeout(() => page.evaluate(() => div.textContent = '').catch(() => {}), 200);
+        await expect(locator).toHaveCount(0);
+        await expect(locator).not.toHaveCount(1);
+      });
+
+      test('fail zero', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.setContent('<div><span></span></div>');
+        const locator = page.locator('span');
+        await expect(locator).toHaveCount(0, { timeout: 500 });
+      });
+
+      test('fail zero 2', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.setContent('<div><span></span></div>');
+        const locator = page.locator('span');
+        await expect(locator).not.toHaveCount(1, { timeout: 500 });
+      });
       `,
   }, { workers: 1 });
-  expect(result.passed).toBe(1);
-  expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+  const output = stripAscii(result.output);
+  expect(result.passed).toBe(3);
+  expect(result.failed).toBe(2);
+  expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
+  expect(output).toContain('Expected: 0');
+  expect(output).toContain('Received: 1');
 });
 
 test('should support toHaveJSProperty', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {