diff --git a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRuleTest.java b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRuleTest.java
index e053c9fc67..e78066b168 100644
--- a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRuleTest.java
+++ b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRuleTest.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ public class LongVariableRuleTest
     public void setUp() {
         rule = new LongVariableRule();
         rule.setMessage("Avoid long names like {0}");
+        rule.addProperty("minimumLength", "12");
     }
 
     public void testLongVariableField() throws Throwable {
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml b/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
index 453a1ae40c..d5b74f8326 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
@@ -35,8 +35,11 @@ public class Something {
         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.LongVariableRule">
     <description>
 Long Variable: detects when a field, formal or local variable is declared
-with a name larger than 12 characters.
+with a big name.
     </description>
+   <properties>
+    <property name="minimumLength" value="12"/>
+   </properties>
     <example>
 <![CDATA[
 public class Something {
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRule.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRule.java
index c9a99232f3..e5fe575d18 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRule.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/LongVariableRule.java
@@ -10,13 +10,11 @@ import java.text.MessageFormat;
 public class LongVariableRule 
     extends AbstractRule
 {
-    public static final int LONG_VARIABLE_LIMIT = 12;
-
     public Object visit(ASTVariableDeclaratorId decl, Object data) {
 	RuleContext ctx = (RuleContext) data;
 	String image = decl.getImage();
 
-	if (image.length() > LONG_VARIABLE_LIMIT) {
+	if (image.length() > getIntProperty("minimumLength")) {
         String msg = MessageFormat.format(getMessage(), new Object[] {image});
         ctx.getReport().addRuleViolation(createRuleViolation(ctx, decl.getBeginLine(), msg));
 	}