diff --git a/src/message.c b/src/message.c
index 8ea49ae..465b25e 100644
--- a/src/message.c
+++ b/src/message.c
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@
 	return;
 
     /* Don't let the message history get too big */
-    while (msg_hist_len > 20)
+    while (msg_hist_len > MAX_MSG_HIST_LEN)
 	(void)delete_first_msg();
 
     /* allocate an entry and add the message at the end of the history */