diff --git a/rtv/config.py b/rtv/config.py
index 5fe3e0e..ec33781 100644
--- a/rtv/config.py
+++ b/rtv/config.py
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ def build_parser():
     parser.add_argument(
         '--enable-media', dest='enable_media', action='store_const', const=True,
         help='Open external links using programs defined in the mailcap config')
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--max-comment-cols', dest='max_comment_cols', type=int,
+        help='Maximum comment column width')
     return parser
 
 
@@ -240,8 +243,10 @@ class Config(object):
             'enable_media': partial(config.getboolean, 'rtv'),
             'history_size': partial(config.getint, 'rtv'),
             'oauth_redirect_port': partial(config.getint, 'rtv'),
-            'oauth_scope': lambda x: rtv[x].split(',')
+            'oauth_scope': lambda x: rtv[x].split(','),
+            'max_comment_cols': partial(config.getint, 'rtv')
         }
+
         for key, func in params.items():
             if key in rtv:
                 rtv[key] = func(key)
diff --git a/rtv/content.py b/rtv/content.py
index 7aa3b8b..cc0c9d1 100644
--- a/rtv/content.py
+++ b/rtv/content.py
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ class SubmissionContent(Content):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, submission, loader, indent_size=2, max_indent_level=8,
-                 order=None):
+                 order=None, max_comment_cols=70):
 
         submission_data = self.strip_praw_submission(submission)
         comments = self.flatten_comments(submission.comments)
@@ -308,17 +308,19 @@ class SubmissionContent(Content):
         self._submission = submission
         self._submission_data = submission_data
         self._comment_data = [self.strip_praw_comment(c) for c in comments]
+        self._max_comment_cols = max_comment_cols
 
     @classmethod
     def from_url(cls, reddit, url, loader, indent_size=2, max_indent_level=8,
-                 order=None):
+                 order=None, max_comment_cols=70):
 
         url = url.replace('http:', 'https:')  # Reddit forces SSL
         # Sometimes reddit will return a 403 FORBIDDEN when trying to access an
         # np link while using OAUTH. Cause is unknown.
         url = url.replace('https://np.', 'https://www.')
         submission = reddit.get_submission(url, comment_sort=order)
-        return cls(submission, loader, indent_size, max_indent_level, order)
+        return cls(submission, loader, indent_size, max_indent_level, order,
+            max_comment_cols)
 
     @property
     def range(self):
@@ -346,7 +348,7 @@ class SubmissionContent(Content):
             data['offset'] = indent_level * self.indent_size
 
             if data['type'] == 'Comment':
-                width = n_cols - data['offset']
+                width = min(n_cols - data['offset'], self._max_comment_cols)
                 data['split_body'] = self.wrap_text(data['body'], width=width)
                 data['n_rows'] = len(data['split_body']) + 1
             else:
diff --git a/rtv/submission_page.py b/rtv/submission_page.py
index 2a5148c..cc14f2f 100644
--- a/rtv/submission_page.py
+++ b/rtv/submission_page.py
@@ -23,10 +23,13 @@ class SubmissionPage(Page):
         super(SubmissionPage, self).__init__(reddit, term, config, oauth)
 
         self.controller = SubmissionController(self, keymap=config.keymap)
+
         if url:
-            self.content = SubmissionContent.from_url(reddit, url, term.loader)
+            self.content = SubmissionContent.from_url(reddit, url, term.loader,
+                max_comment_cols=config['max_comment_cols'])
         else:
-            self.content = SubmissionContent(submission, term.loader)
+            self.content = SubmissionContent(submission, term.loader,
+                max_comment_cols=config['max_comment_cols'])
         # Start at the submission post, which is indexed as -1
         self.nav = Navigator(self.content.get, page_index=-1)
         self.selected_subreddit = None
diff --git a/rtv/templates/rtv.cfg b/rtv/templates/rtv.cfg
index c1e9de3..74c23f0 100644
--- a/rtv/templates/rtv.cfg
+++ b/rtv/templates/rtv.cfg
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ oauth_redirect_port = 65000
 ; Access permissions that will be requested.
 oauth_scope = edit,history,identity,mysubreddits,privatemessages,read,report,save,submit,subscribe,vote
 
+; Maximum number of columns for a comment
+max_comment_cols = 20
+
 [bindings]
 ##############
 # Key Bindings