diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
index bf3f820bf..dc0146f80 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
@@ -1103,6 +1103,6 @@ public class Settings implements ISettings
 	@Override
 	public int getMaxNickLength()
 	{
-		return config.getInt("max-nick-length", 16);
+		return config.getInt("max-nick-length", 30);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/Essentials/src/config.yml b/Essentials/src/config.yml
index ab2545b32..48db8c83b 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/config.yml
+++ b/Essentials/src/config.yml
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ ops-name-color: '4'
 # The character(s) to prefix all nicknames, so that you know they are not true usernames.
 nickname-prefix: '~'
 
-# The maximum length allowed in nicknames. The prefix is not included in this.
-max-nick-length: 16
+# The maximum length allowed in nicknames. The nickname prefix is included in this.
+max-nick-length: 15
 
 # Disable this if you have any other plugin, that modifies the displayname of a user.
 change-displayname: true