diff --git a/data/model/modelutil.py b/data/model/modelutil.py
index 1a6cdab49..ac8bcd804 100644
--- a/data/model/modelutil.py
+++ b/data/model/modelutil.py
@@ -25,9 +25,8 @@ def paginate(query, model, descending=False, page_token=None, limit=50, id_alias
       query = query.where(model.id <= start_id)
     else:
       query = query.where(model.id >= start_id)
-  else:
-    query = query.limit(limit + 1)
 
+  query = query.limit(limit + 1)
   return paginate_query(query, limit=limit, id_alias=id_alias)
 
 
diff --git a/data/model/test/test_modelutil.py b/data/model/test/test_modelutil.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5da72be4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/model/test/test_modelutil.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import pytest
+
+from data.database import Role
+from data.model.modelutil import paginate
+from test.fixtures import *
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('page_size', [
+  10,
+  20,
+  50,
+  100,
+  200,
+  500,
+  1000,
+])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('descending', [
+  False,
+  True,
+])
+def test_paginate(page_size, descending, initialized_db):
+  # Add a bunch of rows into a test table (`Role`).
+  for i in range(0, 522):
+    Role.create(name='testrole%s' % i)
+
+  query = Role.select().where(Role.name ** 'testrole%')
+  all_matching_roles = list(query)
+  assert len(all_matching_roles) == 522
+
+  # Paginate a query to lookup roles.
+  collected = []
+  page_token = None
+  while True:
+    results, page_token = paginate(query, Role, limit=page_size, descending=descending,
+                                   page_token=page_token)
+    assert len(results) <= page_size
+    collected.extend(results)
+
+    if page_token is None:
+      break
+
+    assert len(results) == page_size
+
+    for index, result in enumerate(results[1:]):
+      if descending:
+        assert result.id < results[index].id
+      else:
+        assert result.id > results[index].id
+
+  assert len(collected) == len(all_matching_roles)
+  assert {c.id for c in collected} == {a.id for a in all_matching_roles}