diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
index 37230fb11..fb62951dc 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
   private final static Typeface  BOLD_TYPEFACE  = Typeface.create("sans-serif-medium", Typeface.NORMAL);
   private final static Typeface  LIGHT_TYPEFACE = Typeface.create("sans-serif", Typeface.NORMAL);
 
+  private static final int MAX_SNIPPET_LENGTH = 500;
+
   private Set<Long>           selectedThreads;
   private Recipient           recipient;
   private long                threadId;
@@ -156,7 +158,7 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
       this.typingView.stopAnimation();
 
       this.subjectView.setVisibility(VISIBLE);
-      this.subjectView.setText(thread.getDisplayBody(getContext()));
+      this.subjectView.setText(getTrimmedSnippet(thread.getDisplayBody(getContext())));
       this.subjectView.setTypeface(unreadCount == 0 ? LIGHT_TYPEFACE : BOLD_TYPEFACE);
       this.subjectView.setTextColor(unreadCount == 0 ? ThemeUtil.getThemedColor(getContext(), R.attr.conversation_list_item_subject_color)
                                                      : ThemeUtil.getThemedColor(getContext(), R.attr.conversation_list_item_unread_color));
@@ -265,6 +267,11 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
     return lastSeen;
   }
 
+  private @NonNull CharSequence getTrimmedSnippet(@NonNull CharSequence snippet) {
+    return snippet.length() <= MAX_SNIPPET_LENGTH ? snippet
+                                                  : snippet.subSequence(0, MAX_SNIPPET_LENGTH);
+  }
+
   private void setThumbnailSnippet(ThreadRecord thread) {
     if (thread.getSnippetUri() != null) {
       this.thumbnailView.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/longmessage/LongMessageActivity.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/longmessage/LongMessageActivity.java
index 2b3998c6e..a71cad719 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/longmessage/LongMessageActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/longmessage/LongMessageActivity.java
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ public class LongMessageActivity extends PassphraseRequiredActionBarActivity imp
   private static final String KEY_MESSAGE_ID = "message_id";
   private static final String KEY_IS_MMS     = "is_mms";
 
+  private static final int MAX_DISPLAY_LENGTH = 64 * 1024;
+
   private final DynamicLanguage dynamicLanguage = new DynamicLanguage();
   private final DynamicTheme    dynamicTheme    = new DynamicTheme();
 
@@ -150,14 +152,22 @@ public class LongMessageActivity extends PassphraseRequiredActionBarActivity imp
       TextView               text   = bubble.findViewById(R.id.longmessage_text);
       ConversationItemFooter footer = bubble.findViewById(R.id.longmessage_footer);
 
+      String          trimmedBody = getTrimmedBody(message.get().getFullBody());
+      SpannableString styledBody  = linkifyMessageBody(new SpannableString(trimmedBody));
+
       bubble.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-      text.setText(linkifyMessageBody(new SpannableString(message.get().getFullBody())));
+      text.setText(styledBody);
       text.setMovementMethod(LinkMovementMethod.getInstance());
       text.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, TextSecurePreferences.getMessageBodyTextSize(this));
       footer.setMessageRecord(message.get().getMessageRecord(), dynamicLanguage.getCurrentLocale());
     });
   }
 
+  private String getTrimmedBody(@NonNull String text) {
+    return text.length() <= MAX_DISPLAY_LENGTH ? text
+                                               : text.substring(0, MAX_DISPLAY_LENGTH);
+  }
+
   private SpannableString linkifyMessageBody(SpannableString messageBody) {
     int     linkPattern = Linkify.WEB_URLS | Linkify.EMAIL_ADDRESSES | Linkify.PHONE_NUMBERS;
     boolean hasLinks    = Linkify.addLinks(messageBody, linkPattern);
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/AbstractNotificationBuilder.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/AbstractNotificationBuilder.java
index cd73ef094..e848fe3b1 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/AbstractNotificationBuilder.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/AbstractNotificationBuilder.java
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractNotificationBuilder extends NotificationCompat.Bui
   @SuppressWarnings("unused")
   private static final String TAG = AbstractNotificationBuilder.class.getSimpleName();
 
+  private static final int MAX_DISPLAY_LENGTH = 500;
+
   protected Context                       context;
   protected NotificationPrivacyPreference privacy;
 
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractNotificationBuilder extends NotificationCompat.Bui
 
   public void setTicker(@NonNull Recipient recipient, @Nullable CharSequence message) {
     if (privacy.isDisplayMessage()) {
-      setTicker(getStyledMessage(recipient, message));
+      setTicker(getStyledMessage(recipient, trimToDisplayLength(message)));
     } else if (privacy.isDisplayContact()) {
       setTicker(getStyledMessage(recipient, context.getString(R.string.AbstractNotificationBuilder_new_message)));
     } else {
@@ -88,4 +90,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractNotificationBuilder extends NotificationCompat.Bui
 
     return blinkPattern.split(",");
   }
+
+  protected @NonNull CharSequence trimToDisplayLength(@Nullable CharSequence text) {
+    text = text == null ? "" : text;
+
+    return text.length() <= MAX_DISPLAY_LENGTH ? text
+                                               : text.subSequence(0, MAX_DISPLAY_LENGTH);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/MultipleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/MultipleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java
index 59c9f168f..7daca4a10 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/MultipleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/MultipleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public class MultipleRecipientNotificationBuilder extends AbstractNotificationBu
       NotificationCompat.InboxStyle style = new NotificationCompat.InboxStyle();
 
       for (CharSequence body : messageBodies) {
-        style.addLine(body);
+        style.addLine(trimToDisplayLength(body));
       }
 
       setStyle(style);
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/SingleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/SingleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java
index 702d70015..c1322e90c 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/SingleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/SingleRecipientNotificationBuilder.java
@@ -257,15 +257,15 @@ public class SingleRecipientNotificationBuilder extends AbstractNotificationBuil
   }
 
   public NotificationCompat.Builder setContentText(CharSequence contentText) {
-    this.contentText = contentText;
-    return super.setContentText(contentText);
+    this.contentText = trimToDisplayLength(contentText);
+    return super.setContentText(this.contentText);
   }
 
   private CharSequence getBigText(List<CharSequence> messageBodies) {
     SpannableStringBuilder content = new SpannableStringBuilder();
 
     for (int i = 0; i < messageBodies.size(); i++) {
-      content.append(messageBodies.get(i));
+      content.append(trimToDisplayLength(messageBodies.get(i)));
       if (i < messageBodies.size() - 1) {
         content.append('\n');
       }