diff --git a/resources/content_server/gui.js b/resources/content_server/gui.js
index 7dd056b959..8368866a5e 100644
--- a/resources/content_server/gui.js
+++ b/resources/content_server/gui.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ function render_book(book) {
     var comments = $.trim(book.text()).replace(/\n\n/, '<br/>');
     var formats = new Array();
     var size = (parseFloat(book.attr('size'))/(1024*1024)).toFixed(1);
-    var tags = book.attr('tags').replace(/,/g, ', ');
+    var tags = book.attr('tags')
     formats = book.attr("formats").split(",");
     if (formats.length > 0) {
         for (i=0; i < formats.length; i++) {
diff --git a/resources/default_tweaks.py b/resources/default_tweaks.py
index afbc6e7334..2897860ec4 100644
--- a/resources/default_tweaks.py
+++ b/resources/default_tweaks.py
@@ -110,3 +110,6 @@ grouped_search_terms = {}
 # a book' are added when copying books to another library
 add_new_book_tags_when_importing_books = False
 
+
+# Set the maximum number of tags to show in the content server
+max_content_server_tags_shown=5
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/__init__.py b/src/calibre/library/server/__init__.py
index 5050dfaa99..7b283be854 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/__init__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 import os
 
-from calibre.utils.config import Config, StringConfig, config_dir
+from calibre.utils.config import Config, StringConfig, config_dir, tweaks
 
 
 listen_on = '0.0.0.0'
@@ -49,3 +49,15 @@ def server_config(defaults=None):
 def main():
     from calibre.library.server.main import main
     return main()
+
+def format_tag_string(tags, sep):
+    MAX = tweaks['max_content_server_tags_shown']
+    if tags:
+        tlist = [t.strip() for t in tags.split(sep)]
+    else:
+        tlist = []
+    tlist.sort(cmp=lambda x,y:cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+    if len(tlist) > MAX:
+        tlist = tlist[:MAX]+['...']
+    return u'%s'%(', '.join(tlist)) if tlist else ''
+
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py b/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py
index 6a0744c317..961c33fe79 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import fmt_sidx
 from calibre.constants import __appname__
 from calibre import human_readable
 from calibre.utils.date import utcfromtimestamp, format_date
+from . import format_tag_string
 
 def CLASS(*args, **kwargs): # class is a reserved word in Python
     kwargs['class'] = ' '.join(args)
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ class MobileServer(object):
             book['authors'] = authors
             book['series_index'] = fmt_sidx(float(record[FM['series_index']]))
             book['series'] = record[FM['series']]
-            book['tags'] = record[FM['tags']]
+            book['tags'] = format_tag_string(record[FM['tags']], ',')
             book['title'] = record[FM['title']]
             for x in ('timestamp', 'pubdate'):
                 book[x] = strftime('%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S', record[FM[x]])
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ class MobileServer(object):
                         continue
                     name = CFM[key]['name']
                     if datatype == 'text' and CFM[key]['is_multiple']:
-                        book[key] = concat(name, ','.join(val.split('|')))
+                        book[key] = concat(name, format_tag_string(val, '|'))
                     elif datatype == 'series':
                         book[key] = concat(name, '%s [%s]'%(val,
                             fmt_sidx(record[CFM.cc_series_index_column_for(key)])))
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py b/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py
index 3897faf31e..8cfb45c66f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import fmt_sidx
 from calibre.constants import preferred_encoding
 from calibre import isbytestring
 from calibre.utils.date import format_date
+from . import format_tag_string
 
 E = ElementMaker()
 
@@ -84,6 +85,8 @@ class XMLServer(object):
             for x in ('isbn', 'formats', 'series', 'tags', 'publisher',
                     'comments'):
                 y = record[FM[x]]
+                if x == 'tags':
+                    y = format_tag_string(y, ',')
                 kwargs[x] = serialize(y) if y else ''
 
             c = kwargs.pop('comments')
@@ -105,7 +108,7 @@ class XMLServer(object):
                     name = CFM[key]['name']
                     custcols.append(k)
                     if datatype == 'text' and CFM[key]['is_multiple']:
-                        kwargs[k] = concat(name, ','.join(val.split('|')))
+                        kwargs[k] = concat(name, format_tag_string(val,'|'))
                     elif datatype == 'series':
                         kwargs[k] = concat(name, '%s [%s]'%(val,
                             fmt_sidx(record[CFM.cc_series_index_column_for(key)])))