diff --git a/daemon_utils.py b/daemon_utils.py
index 66ae4894e..653f341d7 100644
--- a/daemon_utils.py
+++ b/daemon_utils.py
@@ -537,7 +537,8 @@ def update_inbox_queue(self, nickname: str, message_json: {},
                                  self.server.blocked_cache,
                                  self.server.block_federated,
                                  self.server.system_language,
-                                 mitm)
+                                 mitm,
+                                 self.server.maxMessageLength)
     if queue_filename:
         # add json to the queue
         if queue_filename not in self.server.inbox_queue:
diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index 91f11c323..3d6858a6d 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -395,11 +395,12 @@ def save_post_to_inbox_queue(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str,
                              blocked_cache: [],
                              block_federated: [],
                              system_language: str,
-                             mitm: bool) -> str:
+                             mitm: bool,
+                             max_message_bytes: int) -> str:
     """Saves the given json to the inbox queue for the person
     key_id specifies the actor sending the post
     """
-    if len(message_bytes) > 20000:
+    if len(message_bytes) > max_message_bytes:
         print('REJECT: inbox message too long ' +
               str(len(message_bytes)) + ' bytes')
         return None