diff --git a/res/layout/message_list_item_touchable.xml b/res/layout/message_list_item_touchable.xml
index 17b5c073e..7c8b29a61 100644
--- a/res/layout/message_list_item_touchable.xml
+++ b/res/layout/message_list_item_touchable.xml
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 <RelativeLayout
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     android:layout_width="fill_parent"
-    android:layout_height="?android:attr/listPreferredItemHeight"
-    android:paddingTop="2dip"
+    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+    android:paddingTop="3dip"
+    android:paddingBottom="3dip"
     android:background="#ccc" >
 
     <RelativeLayout
@@ -75,7 +76,6 @@
         android:layout_marginLeft="1dip"
         android:layout_marginRight="0dip"
         android:singleLine="false"
-        android:fadingEdge="vertical"
         android:bufferType="spannable"
         android:textColor="?android:attr/textColorPrimary"
         android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall" />
diff --git a/res/values/arrays.xml b/res/values/arrays.xml
index bb07737ea..2e74a157d 100644
--- a/res/values/arrays.xml
+++ b/res/values/arrays.xml
@@ -631,4 +631,23 @@
         <item>apg</item>
     </string-array>
 
+    <string-array name="settings_preview_lines_values">
+        <item>2</item>
+        <item>3</item>
+        <item>4</item>
+        <item>5</item>
+        <item>6</item>
+    </string-array>
+
+    <string-array name="settings_preview_lines_entries">
+        <item>2</item>
+        <item>3</item>
+        <item>4</item>
+        <item>5</item>
+        <item>6</item>
+    </string-array>
+
+
+
+
 </resources>
diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index f8f8dc148..dab98dcb3 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ Welcome to K-9 Mail setup.  K-9 is an open source mail client for Android origin
     <string name="global_settings_checkbox_summary">Always show multi-select checkboxes</string>
     <string name="global_settings_touchable_label">Message previews</string>
     <string name="global_settings_touchable_summary">Roomier list items with message previews</string>
-
+    <string name="global_settings_preview_lines_label">Preview lines</string>
     <string name="global_settings_show_contact_name_label">Show contact names</string>
     <string name="global_settings_show_contact_name_summary">Use recipient names from Contacts when available</string>
     <string name="global_settings_registered_name_color_label">Colorize contacts</string>
diff --git a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
index 08704f36e..c55c23c29 100644
--- a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
+++ b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
@@ -97,6 +97,16 @@
                 android:title="@string/global_settings_touchable_label"
                 android:summary="@string/global_settings_touchable_summary" />
 
+            <ListPreference
+                android:persistent="false"
+                android:key="messagelist_preview_lines"
+                android:title="@string/global_settings_preview_lines_label"
+                android:entries="@array/settings_preview_lines_entries"
+                android:entryValues="@array/settings_preview_lines_values"
+                android:dialogTitle="@string/global_settings_preview_lines_label"
+                android:dependency="messagelist_touchable" />
+
+
             <CheckBoxPreference
                 android:persistent="false"
                 android:key="messagelist_stars"
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
index 51aeae98e..1a6178b13 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application
     private static boolean mMessageListStars = true;
     private static boolean mMessageListCheckboxes = false;
     private static boolean mMessageListTouchable = false;
+    private static int mMessageListPreviewLines = 2;
 
     private static boolean mShowContactName = false;
     private static boolean mChangeContactNameColor = false;
@@ -386,6 +387,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application
         editor.putBoolean("messageListStars",mMessageListStars);
         editor.putBoolean("messageListCheckboxes",mMessageListCheckboxes);
         editor.putBoolean("messageListTouchable",mMessageListTouchable);
+        editor.putInt("messageListPreviewLines",mMessageListPreviewLines);
 
         editor.putBoolean("showContactName",mShowContactName);
         editor.putBoolean("changeRegisteredNameColor",mChangeContactNameColor);
@@ -427,6 +429,8 @@ public class K9 extends Application
         mMessageListStars = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListStars",true);
         mMessageListCheckboxes = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListCheckboxes",false);
         mMessageListTouchable = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListTouchable",false);
+        mMessageListPreviewLines = sprefs.getInt("messageListPreviewLines", 2);
+
         mMobileOptimizedLayout = sprefs.getBoolean("mobileOptimizedLayout", false);
         mZoomControlsEnabled = sprefs.getBoolean("zoomControlsEnabled",false);
 
@@ -705,6 +709,16 @@ public class K9 extends Application
         mMessageListTouchable = touchy;
     }
 
+    public static int messageListPreviewLines()
+    {
+        return mMessageListPreviewLines;
+    }
+
+    public static void setMessageListPreviewLines(int lines)
+    {
+        mMessageListPreviewLines = lines;
+    }
+
     public static boolean messageListStars()
     {
         return mMessageListStars;
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
index 0ad12efb3..7b3f42312 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
@@ -264,6 +264,8 @@ public class MessageList
     private ListView mListView;
 
     private boolean mTouchView = true;
+    private int mPreviewLines = 0;
+
 
     private MessageListAdapter mAdapter;
 
@@ -659,6 +661,7 @@ public class MessageList
         // Only set "touchable" when we're first starting up the activity.
         // Otherwise we get force closes when the user toggles it midstream.
         mTouchView = K9.messageListTouchable();
+        mPreviewLines = K9.messageListPreviewLines();
 
         String accountUuid = intent.getStringExtra(EXTRA_ACCOUNT);
         mAccount = Preferences.getPreferences(this).getAccount(accountUuid);
@@ -2647,6 +2650,7 @@ public class MessageList
             if (mTouchView)
             {
                 holder.preview.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP, mFontSizes.getMessageListSender());
+                holder.preview.setLines(mPreviewLines);
             }
             else
             {
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
index 0e1436cce..7951bbe49 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MEASURE_ACCOUNTS = "measure_accounts";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_COUNT_SEARCH = "count_search";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_TOUCHABLE = "messagelist_touchable";
+    private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_PREVIEW_LINES = "messagelist_preview_lines";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_STARS = "messagelist_stars";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_CHECKBOXES = "messagelist_checkboxes";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_SHOW_CONTACT_NAME = "messagelist_show_contact_name";
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
     private CheckBoxPreference mMeasureAccounts;
     private CheckBoxPreference mCountSearch;
     private CheckBoxPreference mTouchable;
+    private ListPreference mPreviewLines;
     private CheckBoxPreference mStars;
     private CheckBoxPreference mCheckboxes;
     private CheckBoxPreference mShowContactName;
@@ -180,6 +182,9 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
         mTouchable = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_TOUCHABLE);
         mTouchable.setChecked(K9.messageListTouchable());
 
+        mPreviewLines = setupListPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_PREVIEW_LINES,
+                                            Integer.toString(K9.messageListPreviewLines()));
+
         mStars = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_STARS);
         mStars.setChecked(K9.messageListStars());
 
@@ -266,6 +271,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
         K9.setMeasureAccounts(mMeasureAccounts.isChecked());
         K9.setCountSearchMessages(mCountSearch.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageListTouchable(mTouchable.isChecked());
+        K9.setMessageListPreviewLines(Integer.parseInt(mPreviewLines.getValue()));
         K9.setMessageListStars(mStars.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageListCheckboxes(mCheckboxes.isChecked());
         K9.setShowContactName(mShowContactName.isChecked());