diff --git a/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go b/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go
index 7c3fb4b..5b25ba7 100644
--- a/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go
+++ b/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 func main() {
 	addr := flag.String("addr", "localhost:9080", "http service address")
 	querySocket := flag.String("socket", "", "Path to a unix domain socket for the HTTP server")
+	backlogLimit := flag.Int("n", -1, "Limit the backlog length, defaults to no limit (-1)")
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	interrupt := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
@@ -25,6 +27,11 @@ func main() {
 		Host: *addr, // ignored in case of -socket; see the Dialer below
 		Path: "/ws",
 	}
+	q := u.Query()
+	if *backlogLimit >= 0 {
+		q.Set("l", strconv.Itoa(*backlogLimit))
+	}
+	u.RawQuery = q.Encode()
 	if *querySocket != "" {
 		d = &websocket.Dialer{
 			NetDial: func(network, addr string) (net.Conn, error) {
diff --git a/cmd/circologd/http.go b/cmd/circologd/http.go
index 5129c7e..8bec128 100644
--- a/cmd/circologd/http.go
+++ b/cmd/circologd/http.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func setupHTTP(hub circolog.Hub) {
 }
 
 func parseParameterL(r *http.Request) (int, error) {
-	var requestMessageLen int
+	var requestMessageLen int = -1
 	var err error
 	if reqL, ok := r.Form["l"]; ok {
 		if len(reqL) == 1 {
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ func parseParameterL(r *http.Request) (int, error) {
 
 func parseParameters(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (circolog.ClientOptions, error) {
 	var opts circolog.ClientOptions
-	opts.BacklogLength = 10 // default
 	err := r.ParseForm()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Println("error parsing http request", err)
@@ -83,12 +82,20 @@ func getWSHandler(hub circolog.Hub) http.HandlerFunc {
 		WriteBufferSize: 1024,
 	}
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		opts, err := parseParameters(w, r)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Println("Error on request parameter \"l\":", err)
+			w.WriteHeader(400)
+			return
+		}
+		opts.Nofollow = false
 		conn, err := upgrader.Upgrade(w, r, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			return
 		}
-		client := circolog.Client{Messages: make(chan format.LogParts, 20),
-			Options: circolog.ClientOptions{BacklogLength: -1},
+		client := circolog.Client{
+			Messages: make(chan format.LogParts, 20),
+			Options:  opts,
 		}
 		hub.Register <- client