diff --git a/src/controllers/User/Update.php b/src/controllers/User/Update.php
index b8d65f2b..916d1b56 100644
--- a/src/controllers/User/Update.php
+++ b/src/controllers/User/Update.php
@@ -188,9 +188,13 @@ public function &run(Router &$router, View &$view, array &$args) {
 
           // biography change request
 
-          $model->profile->setBiography($model->biography);
-          $model->biography_error = ['green', 'CHANGE_SUCCESS'];
-          $profile_changed = true;
+          if (strlen($model->biography) > $model->biography_max_len) {
+            $model->biography_error = ['red', 'TOO_LONG'];
+          } else {
+            $model->profile->setBiography($model->biography);
+            $model->biography_error = ['green', 'CHANGE_SUCCESS'];
+            $profile_changed = true;
+          }
 
         }
 
diff --git a/src/templates/User/Update.phtml b/src/templates/User/Update.phtml
index 65edc967..d1e91848 100644
--- a/src/templates/User/Update.phtml
+++ b/src/templates/User/Update.phtml
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ switch ($this->getContext()->display_name_error[1]) {
 
 switch ($this->getContext()->biography_error[1]) {
   case null: case '': $biography_error = ''; break;
-  case 'CHANGE_FAILED':
-    $biography_error = 'Failed to change biography.'; break;
+  case 'TOO_LONG':
+    $biography_error = 'Your biography is too long.'; break;
   case 'CHANGE_SUCCESS':
     $biography_error = 'Your biography was updated.'; break;
   default: