diff --git a/bashate/bashate.py b/bashate/bashate.py
index e20df8b..0425841 100755
--- a/bashate/bashate.py
+++ b/bashate/bashate.py
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ def check_no_trailing_whitespace(line, report):
         report.print_error(MESSAGES['E001'].msg, line)
 
 
-def check_no_long_lines(line, report):
-    if len(line.rstrip("\r\n")) > 79:
+def check_no_long_lines(line, report, max_line_length):
+    if len(line.rstrip("\r\n")) > max_line_length:
         report.print_error(MESSAGES['E006'].msg, line)
 
 
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ class BashateRun(object):
                'error': error.replace(":", "", 1),
                'line': line.rstrip('\n')})
 
-    def check_files(self, files, verbose):
+    def check_files(self, files, verbose, max_line_length=79):
         logical_line = ""
         token = False
 
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ class BashateRun(object):
                 # separatley.  Stick with what works...
                 for line in logical_line:
                     check_no_trailing_whitespace(line, report)
-                    check_no_long_lines(line, report)
+                    check_no_long_lines(line, report, max_line_length)
                     check_for_do(line, report)
                     check_if_then(line, report)
                     check_function_decl(line, report)
@@ -431,6 +431,8 @@ def main(args=None):
                         help='Rules to always warn (rather than error)')
     parser.add_argument('-e', '--error',
                         help='Rules to always error (rather than warn)')
+    parser.add_argument('--max-line-length', default=79, type=int,
+                        help='Max line length')
     parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', action='store_true', default=False)
     parser.add_argument('--version', action='store_true',
                         help='show bashate version number and exit',
@@ -457,7 +459,7 @@ def main(args=None):
     run.register_errors(opts.error)
 
     try:
-        run.check_files(files, opts.verbose)
+        run.check_files(files, opts.verbose, opts.max_line_length)
     except IOError as e:
         print("bashate: %s" % e)
         return 1
diff --git a/bashate/messages.py b/bashate/messages.py
index 994b761..1df90fc 100644
--- a/bashate/messages.py
+++ b/bashate/messages.py
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ _messages = {
         'long_msg':
         """
         This check mimics the widely accepted convention from PEP8 and
-        many other places that lines longer than 79 columns can not
-        only cause problems when reading/writing code, but also often
-        indicates a bad smell, e.g. too many levels of indentation due
-        to overly complex functions which require refactoring into
-        smaller chunks.
+        many other places that lines longer than a standard terminal width
+        (default=79 columns) can not only cause problems when reading/writing
+        code, but also often indicates a bad smell, e.g. too many levels
+        of indentation due to overly complex functions which require
+        refactoring into smaller chunks.
         """,
         'default': 'W'
     },
diff --git a/bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad_custom_length.sh b/bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad_custom_length.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f88b461
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad_custom_length.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# lines longer than 10 columns give warnings
+
+: 0123456789
+:        1         2         3         4         5         6         7         8
+
+: 012345
diff --git a/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py b/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
index 83a2939..b1325e7 100644
--- a/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
+++ b/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
@@ -64,8 +64,11 @@ class TestBashate(base.TestCase):
 
         result = bashate.main(['--verbose',
                                '/path/to/fileA', '/path/to/fileB'])
-        m_run_obj.check_files.assert_called_with(['/path/to/fileA',
-                                                  '/path/to/fileB'], True)
+        m_run_obj.check_files.assert_called_with(
+            ['/path/to/fileA', '/path/to/fileB'],
+            True,
+            79
+        )
         expected_return = 1
         self.assertEqual(expected_return, result)
 
@@ -176,6 +179,14 @@ class TestBashateSamples(base.TestCase):
         self.assert_error_found('E006', 6)
         self.assert_error_found('E006', 8)
 
+    def test_sample_E006_bad_custom_max_line_length(self):
+        test_files = ['bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad_custom_length.sh']
+        self.run.check_files(test_files, False, 10)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.run.warning_count, 2)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 5)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 6)
+
     def test_sample_E006_good(self):
         test_files = ['bashate/tests/samples/E006_good.sh']
         self.run.check_files(test_files, False)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/custom-line-length-083e8077951a8ead.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/custom-line-length-083e8077951a8ead.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f20a17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/custom-line-length-083e8077951a8ead.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Adds an option ``--max-line-length`` to specify the maximum length
+    of lines for check E006.