diff --git a/history.cc b/history.cc
index b43c02a3..db8d7b12 100644
--- a/history.cc
+++ b/history.cc
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QDebug>
 
-History::History( unsigned size ): maxSize( size ),
-addingEnabled( true )
+History::History( unsigned size, unsigned maxItemLength_ ): maxSize( size ),
+  maxItemLength( maxItemLength_ ), addingEnabled( true )
 {
 }
 
-History::History( Load, unsigned size ): maxSize( size ),
-addingEnabled( true )
+History::History( Load, unsigned size, unsigned maxItemLength_ ): maxSize( size ),
+   maxItemLength( maxItemLength_ ), addingEnabled( true )
 {
   QFile file( Config::getHistoryFileName() );
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ void History::addItem( Item const & item )
   if( !enabled() )
     return;
 
-  if ( item.word.size() > MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH || item.word.isEmpty() )
+  if ( (unsigned)item.word.size() > getMaxItemLength() || item.word.isEmpty() )
   {
     // The search looks bogus. Don't save it.
     return;
diff --git a/history.hh b/history.hh
index 62c0f1e4..e3acda7c 100644
--- a/history.hh
+++ b/history.hh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <QList>
 #include <QString>
 
-#define MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH 60
+#define DEFAULT_MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH 256
 
 /// Search history
 class History: public QObject
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@ public:
   struct Load {};
 
   /// Constructs an empty history which can hold at most "size" items.
-  History( unsigned size = 20 );
+  History( unsigned size = 20 , unsigned maxItemLength = DEFAULT_MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH );
 
   /// Loads history from its file. If load fails, the result would be an empty
   /// history. The size parameter is same as in other constructor.
-  History( Load, unsigned size = 20 );
+  History( Load, unsigned size = 20, unsigned maxItemLength = DEFAULT_MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH );
 
   /// Adds new item. The item is always added at the beginning of the list.
   /// If there was such an item already somewhere on the list, it gets removed
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ public:
   unsigned getMaxSize()
   { return maxSize; }
 
+  unsigned getMaxItemLength() const
+  { return maxItemLength; }
+
 signals:
 
   /// Signals the changes in items in response to addItem() or clear().
@@ -99,6 +102,7 @@ private:
 
   QList< Item > items;
   unsigned maxSize;
+  unsigned maxItemLength;
   bool addingEnabled;
 
 };
diff --git a/historypanewidget.cc b/historypanewidget.cc
index 373508ba..42335e2f 100644
--- a/historypanewidget.cc
+++ b/historypanewidget.cc
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ QVariant HistoryModel::data( QModelIndex const & index, int role ) const
     return QVariant();
   }
 
-  if ( role == Qt::DisplayRole )
+  if ( role == Qt::DisplayRole || role == Qt::ToolTipRole )
   {
     return m_history->getItem( index.row() ).word;
   }
diff --git a/mainwindow.cc b/mainwindow.cc
index fb4f03ef..e435caec 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cc
+++ b/mainwindow.cc
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow( Config::Class & cfg_ ):
   trayIconMenu( this ),
   addTab( this ),
   cfg( cfg_ ),
-  history( History::Load(), cfg_.preferences.maxStringsInHistory ),
+  history( History::Load(), cfg_.preferences.maxStringsInHistory, cfg_.maxHeadwordSize ),
   dictionaryBar( this, configEvents, cfg.editDictionaryCommandLine ),
   articleMaker( dictionaries, groupInstances, cfg.preferences.displayStyle,
                 cfg.preferences.addonStyle ),
@@ -3151,7 +3151,7 @@ void MainWindow::on_importHistory_triggered()
             if( trimmedStr.isEmpty() )
                 continue;
 
-            if( trimmedStr.size() <= MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH )
+            if( (unsigned)trimmedStr.size() <= history.getMaxItemLength( ) )
                 itemList.prepend( trimmedStr );
 
         } while( !fileStream.atEnd() && itemList.size() < (int)history.getMaxSize() );