diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_compositing.c b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_compositing.c
index d0ddc996ddf..08291d0d1c6 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_compositing.c
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_compositing.c
@@ -148,13 +148,13 @@ static GPUTexture * create_concentric_sample_texture(int side)
 }
 #endif
 
-static GPUTexture * create_spiral_sample_texture(int side)
+static GPUTexture * create_spiral_sample_texture(int numsaples)
 {
 	GPUTexture *tex;
-	int numsaples = side * side;
 	float *texels = (float *)MEM_mallocN(sizeof(float) * 2 * numsaples, "concentric_tex");
 	int i;
-	const int spirals = 8;
+	/* random number to ensure we don't get conciding samples every circle */
+	const float spirals = 7.357;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < numsaples; i++) {
 		float r = (i + 0.5f) / (float) numsaples;
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ static GPUTexture * create_spiral_sample_texture(int side)
 		texels[i * 2 + 1] = r * sin(phi);
 	}
 
-	tex = GPU_texture_create_1D_procedural(side * side, texels, NULL);
+	tex = GPU_texture_create_1D_procedural(numsaples, texels, NULL);
 	MEM_freeN(texels);
 	return tex;
 }
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ bool GPU_fx_do_composite_pass(GPUFX *fx, float projmat[4][4], bool is_persp, str
 			float ssao_params[4] = {fx_ssao->distance_max, fx_ssao->factor, fx_ssao->attenuation, 0.0f};
 			float sample_params[4];
 
-			sample_params[0] = fx->ssao_sample_count * fx->ssao_sample_count;
+			sample_params[0] = fx->ssao_sample_count;
 			/* multiplier so we tile the random texture on screen */
 			sample_params[2] = fx->gbuffer_dim[0] / 64.0;
 			sample_params[3] = fx->gbuffer_dim[1] / 64.0;
@@ -978,5 +978,5 @@ void GPU_fx_compositor_init_ssao_settings(GPUSSAOSettings *fx_ssao)
 	fx_ssao->factor = 1.0f;
 	fx_ssao->distance_max = 0.2f;
 	fx_ssao->attenuation = 1.0f;
-	fx_ssao->samples = 4;
+	fx_ssao->samples = 20;
 }
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c
index c5eed3ff18c..13350f653b8 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c
@@ -3903,8 +3903,8 @@ static void rna_def_gpu_ssao_fx(BlenderRNA *brna)
 	RNA_def_property_update(prop, NC_SPACE | ND_SPACE_VIEW3D, NULL);
 
 	prop = RNA_def_property(srna, "samples", PROP_INT, PROP_NONE);
-	RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "Samples", "Number of samples (final number is squared)");
-	RNA_def_property_range(prop, 1, 30); /* 0 is needed for compression. */	
+	RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "Samples", "Number of samples");
+	RNA_def_property_range(prop, 1, 500);
 	RNA_def_property_update(prop, NC_SPACE | ND_SPACE_VIEW3D, NULL);
 
 	prop = RNA_def_property(srna, "color", PROP_FLOAT, PROP_COLOR_GAMMA);