diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index d53d065f..7f308674 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+23 November 2007
+
+* history-limit option to set maximum history. Does not apply retroactively to
+  existing windows! Lines take up a variable amount of space, but a reasonable
+  guess for an 80-column terminal is 250 KB per 1000 lines (of history used,
+  an empty history takes no space).
+
 21 November 2007
 
 * Create every line as zero length and only expand it as data is written,
@@ -249,4 +256,4 @@
   (including mutt, emacs). No status bar yet and no key remapping or other
   customisation.
 
-$Id: CHANGES,v 1.80 2007-11-21 22:20:44 nicm Exp $
+$Id: CHANGES,v 1.81 2007-11-23 12:48:20 nicm Exp $
diff --git a/cmd-set-option.c b/cmd-set-option.c
index e6a89432..70a4c3e4 100644
--- a/cmd-set-option.c
+++ b/cmd-set-option.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: cmd-set-option.c,v 1.13 2007-11-16 21:12:31 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: cmd-set-option.c,v 1.14 2007-11-23 12:48:20 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -193,6 +193,16 @@ cmd_set_option_exec(void *ptr, unused struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 		}
 		xfree(default_command);
 		default_command = xstrdup(data->value);
+	} else if (strcmp(data->option, "history-limit") == 0) {
+		if (data->value == NULL) {
+			ctx->error(ctx, "invalid value");
+			return;
+		}
+		if (number > SHRT_MAX) {
+			ctx->error(ctx, "history-limit too big: %u", number);
+			return;
+		}
+		history_limit = number;
 	} else {
 		ctx->error(ctx, "unknown option: %s", data->option);
 		return;
diff --git a/screen.c b/screen.c
index f943c442..6a6ed3d2 100644
--- a/screen.c
+++ b/screen.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: screen.c,v 1.40 2007-11-22 19:40:16 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: screen.c,v 1.41 2007-11-23 12:48:20 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ screen_create(struct screen *s, u_int dx, u_int dy)
 	s->rlower = s->dy - 1;
 
 	s->hsize = 0;
-	s->hlimit = SHRT_MAX;
+	s->hlimit = history_limit;
 
 	s->attr = SCREEN_DEFATTR;
 	s->colr = SCREEN_DEFCOLR;
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index d3495f13..4d411e4b 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tmux.c,v 1.42 2007-11-20 12:59:27 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tmux.c,v 1.43 2007-11-23 12:48:20 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ u_int		 status_lines;
 u_char		 status_colour;
 char		*default_command;
 int		 bell_action;
+u_int		 history_limit;
 
 void		 sighandler(int);
 
@@ -214,6 +215,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	bell_action = BELL_ANY;
 
+	history_limit = 2000;
+
 	if (path == NULL) {
 		xasprintf(&path,
 		    "%s/%s-%lu", _PATH_TMP, __progname, (u_long) getuid());
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 601ad55f..7e6dcf45 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.96 2007-11-22 19:40:16 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.97 2007-11-23 12:48:20 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -620,6 +620,7 @@ extern int	 prefix_key;
 extern int	 debug_level;
 extern u_int	 status_lines;
 extern u_char	 status_colour;
+extern u_int	 history_limit;
 extern char     *default_command;
 void		 usage(char **, const char *, ...);
 void		 logfile(const char *);