diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/flow_mode.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/flow_mode.pyj
index 4d7b827fcb..c0f7b5a0b6 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/flow_mode.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/flow_mode.pyj
@@ -97,5 +97,9 @@ def flow_onkeydown(evt):
         evt.preventDefault()
 
 def layout(is_single_page):
-    set_css(document.body, margin='0', border_width='0', padding='0 {}px'.format(opts.margin_side))
+    ms = opts.margin_side
+    tw = window.innerWidth - 2 * ms
+    if opts.max_text_width > 100 and tw > opts.max_text_width:
+        ms += (tw - opts.max_text_width) // 2
+    set_css(document.body, margin='0', border_width='0', padding='0 {}px'.format(ms))
 
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/settings.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/settings.pyj
index aa704f02e7..2b8730f997 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/settings.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/settings.pyj
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ opts = {}
 def apply_settings(settings):
     settings = settings or {}
     opts.cols_per_screen = max(1, settings.cols_per_screen or 1)
-    opts.max_col_width = max(0, settings.max_col_width or 0)
-    opts.max_col_height = max(0, settings.max_col_height or 0)
+    opts.max_text_width = max(0, settings.max_text_width or 0)
+    opts.max_text_height = max(0, settings.max_text_height or 0)
     opts.fit_images = False if settings.fit_images is False else True
     opts.margin_side = max(0, settings.margin_side or 0)
 
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
index 4d1d1809c1..3233c0df8c 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
@@ -65,11 +65,17 @@ class View:
     def iframe(self):
         return document.getElementById(iframe_id)
 
-    def set_margins(self, margin_top=None, margin_bottom=None, margin_side=None):
+    def set_margins(self, no_margins):
         sd = get_session_data()
-        margin_side = sd.get('margin_side') if margin_side is None else margin_side
-        margin_top = sd.get('margin_top') if margin_top is None else margin_top
-        margin_bottom = sd.get('margin_bottom') if margin_bottom is None else margin_bottom
+        margin_side = 0 if no_margins else sd.get('margin_side')
+        margin_top = 0 if no_margins else sd.get('margin_top')
+        margin_bottom = 0 if no_margins else sd.get('margin_bottom')
+        max_text_height = sd.get('max_text_height')
+        th = window.innerWidth - margin_top - margin_bottom
+        if not no_margins and max_text_height > 100 and th > max_text_height:
+            extra = (th - max_text_height) // 2
+            margin_top += extra
+            margin_bottom += extra
         t = document.getElementById('book-top-margin')
         t.style.height = margin_top + 'px'
         t.style.paddingLeft = t.style.paddingRight = margin_side + 'px'
@@ -143,9 +149,11 @@ class View:
         settings={
             'margin_side': 0 if name is self.book.manifest.title_page_name else sd.get('margin_side'),
             'read_mode': sd.get('read_mode'),
+            'max_text_width':sd.get('max_text_width'),
+            'max_text_height':sd.get('max_text_height'),
         }
         self.currently_showing = {'name':name, 'cfi':cfi, 'settings':settings, 'initial_scroll_fraction':initial_scroll_fraction, 'loading':True}
-        self.set_margins(0, 0, 0) if name is self.book.manifest.title_page_name else self.set_margins()
+        self.set_margins(name is self.book.manifest.title_page_name)
         load_resources(self.ui.db, self.book, name, self.loaded_resources, self.show_spine_item)
 
     def goto_doc_boundary(self, data):
diff --git a/src/pyj/session.pyj b/src/pyj/session.pyj
index f47012aa30..e3e244632c 100644
--- a/src/pyj/session.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/session.pyj
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ defaults = {
     'margin_top': 20,
     'margin_bottom': 20,
     'read_mode': 'paged',
+    'max_text_height': 0,
+    'max_text_width': 0,
 }
 
 def storage_available(which):