diff --git a/handlers.go b/handlers.go
index b046793..93b1337 100644
--- a/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 	"github.com/nareix/joy4/av/avutil"
 	"github.com/nareix/joy4/av/pubsub"
-	//"github.com/nareix/joy4/format"
 	"github.com/nareix/joy4/format/flv"
 	"github.com/nareix/joy4/format/rtmp"
 )
@@ -143,14 +142,16 @@ func handleIndexTemplate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	type Data struct {
-		Title       string
-		Video, Chat bool
+		Video, Chat         bool
+		MessageHistoryCount int
+		Title               string
 	}
 
 	data := Data{
-		Title: "Movie Night!",
-		Video: true,
-		Chat:  true,
+		Video:               true,
+		Chat:                true,
+		MessageHistoryCount: settings.MaxMessageCount,
+		Title:               "Movie Night!",
 	}
 
 	path := strings.Split(strings.TrimLeft(r.URL.Path, "/"), "/")
diff --git a/settings.go b/settings.go
index 8320341..8ef017a 100644
--- a/settings.go
+++ b/settings.go
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@ var settings *Settings
 var settingsMtx sync.Mutex
 
 type Settings struct {
-	filename      string
-	AdminPassword string
-	Bans          []BanInfo
-	StreamKey     string
-	ListenAddress string
-	cmdLineKey    string // stream key from the command line
+	filename        string
+	cmdLineKey      string // stream key from the command line
+	MaxMessageCount int
+	AdminPassword   string
+	Bans            []BanInfo
+	StreamKey       string
+	ListenAddress   string
 }
 
 type BanInfo struct {
@@ -57,6 +58,13 @@ func LoadSettings(filename string) (*Settings, error) {
 	}
 	s.filename = filename
 
+	// have a default of 200
+	if s.MaxMessageCount == 0 {
+		s.MaxMessageCount = 300
+	} else if s.MaxMessageCount < 0 {
+		return s, fmt.Errorf("the MaxMessageCount value must be greater than 0, given %d", s.MaxMessageCount)
+	}
+
 	s.AdminPassword = generateAdminPass(time.Now().Unix())
 	fmt.Printf("Settings reloaded.  New admin password: %s\n", s.AdminPassword)
 
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 7fd8a9a..69fb7a8 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
     {{ if .Chat }}
     <script>
+        maxMessageCount = {{ .MessageHistoryCount }}
         window.onload = chatOnload;
     </script>
     <!-- If it is only the chat window, the the chat needs to be fullscreen -->
diff --git a/static/js/client.js b/static/js/client.js
index e937ba7..468ff63 100644
--- a/static/js/client.js
+++ b/static/js/client.js
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ function setPlaying(title, link) {
     $('#playinglink').attr('href', link);
 }
 
-
 function startGo() {
     if (!WebAssembly.instantiateStreaming) { // polyfill
         WebAssembly.instantiateStreaming = async (resp, importObject) => {
@@ -57,7 +56,16 @@ function getWsUri() {
     return "ws://" + window.location.hostname + ":" + port + "/ws"
 }
 
+let maxMessageCount = 0
 function appendMessages(msg) {
+    let msgs = $("#messages").find('div')
+
+    // let's just say that if the max count is less than 1, then the count is infinite
+    // the server side should take care of chaking max count ranges
+    if (msgs.length > maxMessageCount) {
+        msgs.first().remove()
+    }
+
     $("#messages").append(msg).scrollTop(9e6);
 }