diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index 55b2e637..a121847f 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ func (channel *Channel) SetTopic(client *Client, topic string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if len(topic) > client.server.limits.Topic {
-		topic = topic[:client.server.limits.Topic]
+	if len(topic) > client.server.limits.TopicLen {
+		topic = topic[:client.server.limits.TopicLen]
 	}
 
 	channel.topic = topic
@@ -482,8 +482,8 @@ func (channel *Channel) Kick(client *Client, target *Client, comment string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if len(comment) > client.server.limits.Kick {
-		comment = comment[:client.server.limits.Kick]
+	if len(comment) > client.server.limits.KickLen {
+		comment = comment[:client.server.limits.KickLen]
 	}
 
 	for member := range channel.members {
diff --git a/irc/config.go b/irc/config.go
index 22d267e6..cf335d6d 100644
--- a/irc/config.go
+++ b/irc/config.go
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Limits struct {
 		NickLen       int  `yaml:"nicklen"`
 		ChannelLen    int  `yaml:"channellen"`
+		AwayLen       int  `yaml:"awaylen"`
 		KickLen       int  `yaml:"kicklen"`
 		TopicLen      int  `yaml:"topiclen"`
 		WhowasEntries uint `yaml:"whowas-entries"`
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ func LoadConfig(filename string) (config *Config, err error) {
 	if len(config.Server.Listen) == 0 {
 		return nil, errors.New("Server listening addresses missing")
 	}
-	if config.Limits.NickLen < 1 || config.Limits.ChannelLen < 2 || config.Limits.TopicLen < 1 {
+	if config.Limits.NickLen < 1 || config.Limits.ChannelLen < 2 || config.Limits.AwayLen < 1 || config.Limits.TopicLen < 1 || config.Limits.TopicLen < 1 {
 		return nil, errors.New("Limits aren't setup properly, check them and make them sane")
 	}
 	return config, nil
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index e84b81d1..7daa3ad2 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ import (
 
 // Limits holds the maximum limits for various things such as topic lengths
 type Limits struct {
-	Kick  int
-	Topic int
+	AwayLen  int
+	KickLen  int
+	TopicLen int
 }
 
 type Server struct {
@@ -81,8 +82,9 @@ func NewServer(config *Config) *Server {
 		db:       OpenDB(config.Datastore.SQLitePath),
 		idle:     make(chan *Client),
 		limits: Limits{
-			Kick:  config.Limits.KickLen,
-			Topic: config.Limits.TopicLen,
+			AwayLen:  config.Limits.AwayLen,
+			KickLen:  config.Limits.KickLen,
+			TopicLen: config.Limits.TopicLen,
 		},
 		name:             NewName(config.Server.Name),
 		nameString:       NewName(config.Server.Name).String(),
@@ -169,13 +171,14 @@ func NewServer(config *Config) *Server {
 
 	// add RPL_ISUPPORT tokens
 	server.isupport = NewISupportList()
+	server.isupport.Add("AWAYLEN", strconv.Itoa(server.limits.AwayLen))
 	server.isupport.Add("CASEMAPPING", "ascii")
 	// server.isupport.Add("CHANMODES", "")  //TODO(dan): Channel mode list here
 	server.isupport.Add("CHANNELLEN", strconv.Itoa(config.Limits.ChannelLen))
 	server.isupport.Add("CHANTYPES", "#")
 	server.isupport.Add("EXCEPTS", "")
 	server.isupport.Add("INVEX", "")
-	server.isupport.Add("KICKLEN", strconv.Itoa(server.limits.Kick))
+	server.isupport.Add("KICKLEN", strconv.Itoa(server.limits.KickLen))
 	// server.isupport.Add("MAXLIST", "") //TODO(dan): Support max list length?
 	// server.isupport.Add("MODES", "")   //TODO(dan): Support max modes?
 	server.isupport.Add("NETWORK", config.Network.Name)
@@ -183,7 +186,7 @@ func NewServer(config *Config) *Server {
 	server.isupport.Add("PREFIX", "(qaohv)~&@%+")
 	// server.isupport.Add("STATUSMSG", "@+") //TODO(dan): Support STATUSMSG
 	// server.isupport.Add("TARGMAX", "")  //TODO(dan): Support this
-	server.isupport.Add("TOPICLEN", strconv.Itoa(server.limits.Topic))
+	server.isupport.Add("TOPICLEN", strconv.Itoa(server.limits.TopicLen))
 
 	// account registration
 	if server.accountRegistration.Enabled {
@@ -816,6 +819,9 @@ func awayHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool {
 	if len(msg.Params) > 0 {
 		isAway = true
 		text = msg.Params[0]
+		if len(text) > server.limits.AwayLen {
+			text = text[:server.limits.AwayLen]
+		}
 	}
 
 	if isAway {
diff --git a/oragono.yaml b/oragono.yaml
index 81da4b81..36fd0df3 100644
--- a/oragono.yaml
+++ b/oragono.yaml
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ limits:
     # channellen is the max channel length allowed
     channellen: 64
 
+    # awaylen is the maximum length of an away message
+    awaylen: 200
+
     # kicklen is the maximum length of a kick message
     kicklen: 390