diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 842cbb97..b8c7e593 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -146,6 +146,12 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().base = function(j$, jasmineGlobal) {
    * @name jasmine.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_ARRAY_LENGTH
    */
   j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_ARRAY_LENGTH = 50;
+  /**
+   * Maximum number of charasters to display when pretty printing objects.
+   * Characters past this number will be ellipised.
+   * @name jasmine.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS
+   */
+  j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS = 1000;
   /**
    * Default number of milliseconds Jasmine will wait for an asynchronous spec to complete.
    * @name jasmine.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_INTERVAL
@@ -4044,6 +4050,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().pp = function(j$) {
   function StringPrettyPrinter() {
     PrettyPrinter.call(this);
 
+    this.length = 0;
     this.stringParts = [];
   }
 
@@ -4187,9 +4194,22 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().pp = function(j$) {
   };
 
   StringPrettyPrinter.prototype.append = function(value) {
-    this.stringParts.push(value);
+    if (this.length < j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS) {
+      value = truncate(value, j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS - this.length);
+      this.length += value.length;
+      this.stringParts.push(value);
+    }
   };
 
+  function truncate(s, maxlen) {
+    if (s.length <= maxlen) {
+      return s;
+    }
+
+    s = s.substring(0, maxlen - 4);
+    return s +  ' ...';
+  }
+
   function keys(obj, isArray) {
     var allKeys = Object.keys ? Object.keys(obj) :
       (function(o) {
diff --git a/spec/core/PrettyPrintSpec.js b/spec/core/PrettyPrintSpec.js
index d15aae10..745a5619 100644
--- a/spec/core/PrettyPrintSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/PrettyPrintSpec.js
@@ -131,6 +131,21 @@ describe("jasmineUnderTest.pp", function () {
       }
   });
 
+  it("should truncate outputs that are too long", function() {
+    var originalMaxChars = jasmineUnderTest.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS;
+    var big = [
+      { a: 1, b: "a long string" },
+      {}
+    ];
+
+    try {
+      jasmineUnderTest.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS = 34;
+      expect(jasmineUnderTest.pp(big)).toEqual("[ Object({ a: 1, b: 'a long st ...");
+    } finally {
+      jasmineUnderTest.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS = originalMaxChars;
+    }
+  });
+
   it("should print 'null' as the constructor of an object with its own constructor property", function() {
     expect(jasmineUnderTest.pp({constructor: function() {}})).toContain("null({");
     expect(jasmineUnderTest.pp({constructor: 'foo'})).toContain("null({");
diff --git a/src/core/PrettyPrinter.js b/src/core/PrettyPrinter.js
index 16b66074..04f85078 100644
--- a/src/core/PrettyPrinter.js
+++ b/src/core/PrettyPrinter.js
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().pp = function(j$) {
   function StringPrettyPrinter() {
     PrettyPrinter.call(this);
 
+    this.length = 0;
     this.stringParts = [];
   }
 
@@ -235,9 +236,22 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().pp = function(j$) {
   };
 
   StringPrettyPrinter.prototype.append = function(value) {
-    this.stringParts.push(value);
+    if (this.length < j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS) {
+      value = truncate(value, j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS - this.length);
+      this.length += value.length;
+      this.stringParts.push(value);
+    }
   };
 
+  function truncate(s, maxlen) {
+    if (s.length <= maxlen) {
+      return s;
+    }
+
+    s = s.substring(0, maxlen - 4);
+    return s +  ' ...';
+  }
+
   function keys(obj, isArray) {
     var allKeys = Object.keys ? Object.keys(obj) :
       (function(o) {
diff --git a/src/core/base.js b/src/core/base.js
index 28bb1dbb..da39f762 100644
--- a/src/core/base.js
+++ b/src/core/base.js
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().base = function(j$, jasmineGlobal) {
    * @name jasmine.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_ARRAY_LENGTH
    */
   j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_ARRAY_LENGTH = 50;
+  /**
+   * Maximum number of charasters to display when pretty printing objects.
+   * Characters past this number will be ellipised.
+   * @name jasmine.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS
+   */
+  j$.MAX_PRETTY_PRINT_CHARS = 1000;
   /**
    * Default number of milliseconds Jasmine will wait for an asynchronous spec to complete.
    * @name jasmine.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_INTERVAL