diff --git a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.java b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.java
index 4f95a7029c..b50e35753d 100644
--- a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.java
+++ b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public interface AdminConstants extends Constants {
   String useContentMerge();
   String useContributorAgreements();
   String useSignedOffBy();
+  String requireShortMessage();
   String requireChangeID();
   String headingGroupOptions();
   String isVisibleToAll();
diff --git a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.properties b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.properties
index e9575cfe80..eef574f40a 100644
--- a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.properties
+++ b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/AdminConstants.properties
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ buttonSaveChanges = Save Changes
 useContentMerge = Automatically resolve conflicts
 useContributorAgreements = Require a valid contributor agreement to upload
 useSignedOffBy = Require <a href="http://gerrit.googlecode.com/svn/documentation/2.0/user-signedoffby.html#Signed-off-by" target="_blank"><code>Signed-off-by</code></a> in commit message
+requireShortMessage = Require the first line of the commit to be 50 characters or less
 requireChangeID = Require <a href="http://gerrit.googlecode.com/svn/documentation/2.0/user-changeid.html" target="_blank"><code>Change-Id</code></a> in commit message
 headingGroupOptions = Group Options
 isVisibleToAll = Make group visible to all registered users.
diff --git a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/ProjectInfoScreen.java b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/ProjectInfoScreen.java
index fb35855c6f..74d131724f 100644
--- a/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/ProjectInfoScreen.java
+++ b/gerrit-gwtui/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/client/admin/ProjectInfoScreen.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ public class ProjectInfoScreen extends ProjectScreen {
   private Project project;
 
   private Panel projectOptionsPanel;
+  private CheckBox requireShortMessage;
   private CheckBox requireChangeID;
   private ListBox submitType;
   private CheckBox useContentMerge;
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ public class ProjectInfoScreen extends ProjectScreen {
     descTxt.setEnabled(canModifyDescription);
     useContributorAgreements.setEnabled(canModifyAgreements);
     useSignedOffBy.setEnabled(canModifyAgreements);
+    requireShortMessage.setEnabled(canModifyMergeType);
     requireChangeID.setEnabled(canModifyMergeType);
   }
 
@@ -134,6 +136,10 @@ public class ProjectInfoScreen extends ProjectScreen {
     saveEnabler.listenTo(useContentMerge);
     projectOptionsPanel.add(useContentMerge);
 
+    requireShortMessage = new CheckBox(Util.C.requireShortMessage(), true);
+    saveEnabler.listenTo(requireShortMessage);
+    projectOptionsPanel.add(requireShortMessage);
+
     requireChangeID = new CheckBox(Util.C.requireChangeID(), true);
     saveEnabler.listenTo(requireChangeID);
     projectOptionsPanel.add(requireChangeID);
@@ -200,6 +206,7 @@ public class ProjectInfoScreen extends ProjectScreen {
     useContributorAgreements.setValue(project.isUseContributorAgreements());
     useSignedOffBy.setValue(project.isUseSignedOffBy());
     useContentMerge.setValue(project.isUseContentMerge());
+    requireShortMessage.setValue(project.isRequireShortMessage());
     requireChangeID.setValue(project.isRequireChangeID());
     setSubmitType(project.getSubmitType());
 
@@ -211,6 +218,7 @@ public class ProjectInfoScreen extends ProjectScreen {
     project.setUseContributorAgreements(useContributorAgreements.getValue());
     project.setUseSignedOffBy(useSignedOffBy.getValue());
     project.setUseContentMerge(useContentMerge.getValue());
+    project.setRequireShortMessage(requireShortMessage.getValue());
     project.setRequireChangeID(requireChangeID.getValue());
     if (submitType.getSelectedIndex() >= 0) {
       project.setSubmitType(Project.SubmitType.valueOf(submitType
diff --git a/gerrit-reviewdb/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/reviewdb/Project.java b/gerrit-reviewdb/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/reviewdb/Project.java
index 49f3333f96..8ca79f2c69 100644
--- a/gerrit-reviewdb/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/reviewdb/Project.java
+++ b/gerrit-reviewdb/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/reviewdb/Project.java
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ public final class Project {
 
   protected NameKey parent;
 
+  protected boolean requireShortMessage;
+
   protected boolean requireChangeID;
 
   protected boolean useContentMerge;
@@ -123,6 +125,10 @@ public final class Project {
     return useContentMerge;
   }
 
+  public boolean isRequireShortMessage() {
+    return requireShortMessage;
+  }
+
   public boolean isRequireChangeID() {
     return requireChangeID;
   }
@@ -135,6 +141,10 @@ public final class Project {
     useContentMerge = cm;
   }
 
+  public void setRequireShortMessage(final boolean sm) {
+    requireShortMessage = sm;
+  }
+
   public void setRequireChangeID(final boolean cid) {
     requireChangeID = cid;
   }
@@ -152,6 +162,7 @@ public final class Project {
     useContributorAgreements = update.useContributorAgreements;
     useSignedOffBy = update.useSignedOffBy;
     useContentMerge = update.useContentMerge;
+    requireShortMessage = update.requireShortMessage;
     requireChangeID = update.requireChangeID;
     submitType = update.submitType;
   }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ProjectConfig.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ProjectConfig.java
index 651fc6a028..335f5aa88e 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ProjectConfig.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ProjectConfig.java
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ public class ProjectConfig extends VersionedMetaData {
 
   private static final String RECEIVE = "receive";
   private static final String KEY_REQUIRE_SIGNED_OFF_BY = "requireSignedOffBy";
+  private static final String KEY_REQUIRE_SHORT_MESSAGE = "requireShortMessage";
   private static final String KEY_REQUIRE_CHANGE_ID = "requireChangeId";
   private static final String KEY_REQUIRE_CONTRIBUTOR_AGREEMENT =
       "requireContributorAgreement";
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ public class ProjectConfig extends VersionedMetaData {
 
     p.setUseContributorAgreements(rc.getBoolean(RECEIVE, KEY_REQUIRE_CONTRIBUTOR_AGREEMENT, false));
     p.setUseSignedOffBy(rc.getBoolean(RECEIVE, KEY_REQUIRE_SIGNED_OFF_BY, false));
+    p.setRequireShortMessage(rc.getBoolean(RECEIVE, KEY_REQUIRE_SHORT_MESSAGE, false));
     p.setRequireChangeID(rc.getBoolean(RECEIVE, KEY_REQUIRE_CHANGE_ID, false));
 
     p.setSubmitType(rc.getEnum(SUBMIT, null, KEY_ACTION, defaultSubmitAction));
@@ -285,6 +287,7 @@ public class ProjectConfig extends VersionedMetaData {
 
     set(rc, RECEIVE, null, KEY_REQUIRE_CONTRIBUTOR_AGREEMENT, p.isUseContributorAgreements());
     set(rc, RECEIVE, null, KEY_REQUIRE_SIGNED_OFF_BY, p.isUseSignedOffBy());
+    set(rc, RECEIVE, null, KEY_REQUIRE_SHORT_MESSAGE, p.isRequireShortMessage());
     set(rc, RECEIVE, null, KEY_REQUIRE_CHANGE_ID, p.isRequireChangeID());
 
     set(rc, SUBMIT, null, KEY_ACTION, p.getSubmitType(), defaultSubmitAction);
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
index 97ad546c56..0ae300d936 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ public class ReceiveCommits implements PreReceiveHook, PostReceiveHook {
   private static final FooterKey TESTED_BY = new FooterKey("Tested-by");
   private static final FooterKey CHANGE_ID = new FooterKey("Change-Id");
 
+  private static final long COMMIT_SUBJECT_LENGTH = 50;
+
   public interface Factory {
     ReceiveCommits create(ProjectControl projectControl, Repository repository);
   }
@@ -1669,6 +1671,26 @@ public class ReceiveCommits implements PreReceiveHook, PostReceiveHook {
       }
     }
 
+    // Check for people 
+    if (project.isRequireShortMessage() &&
+      (COMMIT_SUBJECT_LENGTH < c.getShortMessage().length())) {
+
+      String errMsg = "first line of commit message is too long";
+      reject(cmd, errMsg);
+
+      StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+      sb.append("ERROR: ").append(errMsg).append("\n");
+      sb.append("The first line in a commit should be no more than ");
+      sb.append(COMMIT_SUBJECT_LENGTH).append(" characters\n\n");
+
+      sb.append("Please ammend your commit with:\n\n");
+      sb.append("  git commit --amend\n\n");
+      sb.append("and resubmit.\n");
+
+      rp.sendMessage(sb.toString());
+      return false;
+    }
+
     final List<String> idList = c.getFooterLines(CHANGE_ID);
     if (idList.isEmpty()) {
       if (project.isRequireChangeID() && (cmd.getRefName().startsWith(NEW_CHANGE)
@@ -1764,7 +1786,7 @@ public class ReceiveCommits implements PreReceiveHook, PostReceiveHook {
 
   private void warnMalformedMessage(RevCommit c) {
     ObjectReader reader = rp.getRevWalk().getObjectReader();
-    if (65 < c.getShortMessage().length()) {
+    if (COMMIT_SUBJECT_LENGTH < c.getShortMessage().length()) {
       AbbreviatedObjectId id;
       try {
         id = reader.abbreviate(c);
@@ -1772,7 +1794,7 @@ public class ReceiveCommits implements PreReceiveHook, PostReceiveHook {
         id = c.abbreviate(6);
       }
       rp.sendMessage("(W) " + id.name() //
-          + ": commit subject >65 characters; use shorter first paragraph");
+          + ": commit subject >" + COMMIT_SUBJECT_LENGTH + " characters; use shorter first paragraph");
     }
 
     int longLineCnt = 0, nonEmptyCnt = 0;
diff --git a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/CreateProject.java b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/CreateProject.java
index 77dc8f12d4..90e1a28730 100644
--- a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/CreateProject.java
+++ b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/CreateProject.java
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ final class CreateProject extends BaseCommand {
   @Option(name = "--use-content-merge", usage = "allow automatic conflict resolving within files")
   private boolean contentMerge;
 
+  @Option(name = "--require-short-message", usage = "if short commit subject is required")
+  private boolean requireShortMessage;
+
   @Option(name = "--require-change-id", aliases = {"--id"}, usage = "if change-id is required")
   private boolean requireChangeID;
 
@@ -211,6 +214,7 @@ final class CreateProject extends BaseCommand {
       newProject.setUseContributorAgreements(contributorAgreements);
       newProject.setUseSignedOffBy(signedOffBy);
       newProject.setUseContentMerge(contentMerge);
+      newProject.setRequireShortMessage(requireShortMessage);
       newProject.setRequireChangeID(requireChangeID);
       if (newParent != null) {
         newProject.setParentName(newParent.getProject().getName());