diff --git a/feed2toot/confparse.py b/feed2toot/confparse.py
index dcf6ee1..af31575 100644
--- a/feed2toot/confparse.py
+++ b/feed2toot/confparse.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ from feed2toot.confparsers.rss.toot import parsetoot
 from feed2toot.confparsers.rss.uri import parseuri
 from feed2toot.confparsers.rss.urilist import parseurilist
 from feed2toot.confparsers.rss.addtags import parseaddtags
+from feed2toot.confparsers.rss.tootmaxlen import parsetootmaxlen
 
 class ConfParse:
     '''ConfParse class'''
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ class ConfParse:
             # the rss section
             ###########################
             self.tweetformat = parsetoot(config)
+            options['tootmaxlen'] = parsetootmaxlen(config)
             #################################################
             # pattern and patter_case_sensitive format option
             #################################################
diff --git a/feed2toot/confparsers/rss/tootmaxlen.py b/feed2toot/confparsers/rss/tootmaxlen.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f975469
--- /dev/null
+++ b/feed2toot/confparsers/rss/tootmaxlen.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright © 2015-2019 Carl Chenet <carl.chenet@ohmytux.com>
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+
+# Get value of the toot/tweet option of rss section
+'''Get value of the toot/tweet option of the rss section'''
+
+# standard library imports
+import sys
+import logging
+
+def parsetootmaxlen(config):
+    '''Parse configuration value of the toot_max_len option of the rss section'''
+    section = 'rss'
+    tootmaxlen = 500
+    if config.has_section(section):
+        ############################
+        # toot_max_len parameter
+        ############################
+        confoption = 'toot_max_len'
+        if config.has_option(section, confoption):
+            try:
+                tootmaxlen = int(config.get(section, confoption))
+            except ValueError as err:
+                sys.exit('Error in configuration with the {confoption} parameter in [{section}]: {err}'.format(confoption=confoption, section=section, err=err))
+    return tootmaxlen
diff --git a/feed2toot/main.py b/feed2toot/main.py
index 975124e..2eccf91 100644
--- a/feed2toot/main.py
+++ b/feed2toot/main.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class Main:
                     fe = FilterEntry(elements, entry, options, feed['patterns'], feed['rssobject'], feed['feedname'])
                     entrytosend = fe.finalentry
                     if entrytosend:
-                        finaltweet = build_message(entrytosend, tweetformat, rss)
+                        finaltweet = build_message(entrytosend, tweetformat, rss, options['tootmaxlen'])
                         if clioptions.dryrun:
                             send_message_dry_run(config, entrytosend, finaltweet)
                         else:
diff --git a/feed2toot/message.py b/feed2toot/message.py
index b7f4ea9..4d02179 100644
--- a/feed2toot/message.py
+++ b/feed2toot/message.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ from feed2toot.addtags import AddTags
 from feed2toot.removeduplicates import RemoveDuplicates
 from feed2toot.tootpost import TootPost
 
-def build_message(entrytosend, tweetformat, rss):
+def build_message(entrytosend, tweetformat, rss, tootmaxlen):
     '''populate the rss dict with the new entry'''
     tweetwithnotag = tweetformat.format(**entrytosend)
     # replace line breaks
@@ -40,10 +40,13 @@ def build_message(entrytosend, tweetformat, rss):
         finaltweet = addtag.finaltweet
     else:
         finaltweet = dedup.finaltweet
-
     # strip html tags
     finaltweet = BeautifulSoup(finaltweet, 'html.parser').get_text()
-    return finaltweet
+    # truncate toot to user-defined value
+    if len(finaltweet) > tootmaxlen:
+        return ''.join([finaltweet[0:-3], '...'])
+    else:
+        return finaltweet
 
 def send_message_dry_run(config, entrytosend, finaltweet):
     '''simulate sending message using dry run mode'''