diff --git a/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py b/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py
index db95ce6a..101baced 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py
@@ -69,11 +69,11 @@ class HttpDownloader(DownloaderBase):
             self.chunk_size = chunk_size
         if self.rate:
             func = util.build_selection_func(self.rate, 0, text.parse_bytes)
-            value = func()
-            if value:
-                # wrong when func() returns from a range
-                if value < self.chunk_size:
-                    self.chunk_size = value
+            rmax = func.args[1] if hasattr(func, "args") else func()
+            if rmax:
+                if rmax < self.chunk_size:
+                    # reduce chunk_size to allow for one iteration each second
+                    self.chunk_size = rmax
                 self.rate = func
                 self.receive = self._receive_rate
             else:
diff --git a/gallery_dl/util.py b/gallery_dl/util.py
index 9fff88cb..38be8ac5 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/util.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/util.py
@@ -906,18 +906,17 @@ def build_selection_func(value, min=0.0, conv=float):
 
     if isinstance(value, str):
         lower, _, upper = value.partition("-")
-        lower = conv(lower)
     else:
         try:
             lower, upper = value
         except TypeError:
             lower, upper = value, None
-        lower = conv(lower)
+    lower = conv(lower)
 
     if upper:
         upper = conv(upper)
         return functools.partial(
-            random.uniform if min.__class__ is float else random.randint,
+            random.uniform if lower.__class__ is float else random.randint,
             lower if lower > min else min,
             upper if upper > min else min,
         )
diff --git a/gallery_dl/ytdl.py b/gallery_dl/ytdl.py
index 29ab5267..8dd86421 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/ytdl.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/ytdl.py
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ def construct_YoutubeDL(module, obj, user_opts, system_opts=None):
         rate = config("rate")
         if rate:
             func = util.build_selection_func(rate, 0, text.parse_bytes)
-            opts["ratelimit"] = func() or None
+            rmax = func.args[1] if hasattr(func, "args") else func()
+            opts["ratelimit"] = rmax or None
         else:
             opts["ratelimit"] = None
     if opts.get("min_filesize") is None: