diff --git a/cgit.h b/cgit.h
index 9b517a7..a3b5385 100644
--- a/cgit.h
+++ b/cgit.h
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ extern int cgit_cache_dynamic_ttl;
 extern int cgit_cache_static_ttl;
 extern int cgit_cache_max_create_time;
 
+extern int cgit_max_msg_len;
+
 extern char *cgit_repo_name;
 extern char *cgit_repo_desc;
 extern char *cgit_repo_owner;
diff --git a/shared.c b/shared.c
index dd711a8..8e6df31 100644
--- a/shared.c
+++ b/shared.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ int cgit_cache_dynamic_ttl     =  5;
 int cgit_cache_static_ttl      = -1;
 int cgit_cache_max_create_time =  5;
 
+int cgit_max_msg_len = 60;
+
 char *cgit_repo_name    = NULL;
 char *cgit_repo_desc    = NULL;
 char *cgit_repo_owner   = NULL;
@@ -70,6 +72,8 @@ void cgit_global_config_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
 		cgit_cache_static_ttl = atoi(value);
 	else if (!strcmp(name, "cache-dynamic-ttl"))
 		cgit_cache_dynamic_ttl = atoi(value);
+	else if (!strcmp(name, "max-message-length"))
+		cgit_max_msg_len = atoi(value);
 }
 
 void cgit_repo_config_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
diff --git a/ui-log.c b/ui-log.c
index 725f49b..24d571d 100644
--- a/ui-log.c
+++ b/ui-log.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void print_commit(struct commit *commit)
 	char *qry = fmt("id=%s", sha1_to_hex(commit->object.sha1));
 	char *url = cgit_pageurl(cgit_query_repo, "commit", qry);
 	html_link_open(url, NULL, NULL);
-	html_ntxt(80, info->subject);
+	html_ntxt(cgit_max_msg_len, info->subject);
 	html_link_close();
 	html("</td><td>");
 	html_txt(info->author);
diff --git a/ui-summary.c b/ui-summary.c
index 04d4912..5518d01 100644
--- a/ui-summary.c
+++ b/ui-summary.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static int cgit_print_branch_cb(const char *refname, const unsigned char *sha1,
 		url = cgit_pageurl(cgit_query_repo, "commit", 
 				   fmt("id=%s", sha1_to_hex(sha1)));
 		html_link_open(url, NULL, NULL);
-		html_ntxt(80, info->subject);
+		html_ntxt(cgit_max_msg_len, info->subject);
 		html_link_close();
 		html("</td></tr>\n");
 		cgit_free_commitinfo(info);