diff --git a/heat/common/config.py b/heat/common/config.py
index 9996bb7f0c..61a8e36af5 100644
--- a/heat/common/config.py
+++ b/heat/common/config.py
@@ -132,6 +132,13 @@ engine_opts = [
                help=_('Number of times to retry when a client encounters an '
                       'expected intermittent error. Set to 0 to disable '
                       'retries.')),
+    # Server host name limit to 53 characters by due to typical default
+    # linux HOST_NAME_MAX of 64, minus the .novalocal appended to the name
+    cfg.IntOpt('max_server_name_length',
+               default=53,
+               max=53,
+               help=_('Maximum length of a server name to be used '
+                      'in nova.')),
     cfg.IntOpt('max_interface_check_attempts',
                min=1,
                default=10,
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/aws/ec2/instance.py b/heat/engine/resources/aws/ec2/instance.py
index 3025019e1a..cd2b011724 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/aws/ec2/instance.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/aws/ec2/instance.py
@@ -13,9 +13,12 @@
 
 import copy
 
+from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 import six
 
+cfg.CONF.import_opt('max_server_name_length', 'heat.common.config')
+
 from heat.common import exception
 from heat.common.i18n import _
 from heat.common.i18n import _LI
@@ -340,9 +343,7 @@ class Instance(resource.Resource, sh.SchedulerHintsMixin):
         ),
     }
 
-    # Server host name limit to 53 characters by due to typical default
-    # linux HOST_NAME_MAX of 64, minus the .novalocal appended to the name
-    physical_resource_name_limit = 53
+    physical_resource_name_limit = cfg.CONF.max_server_name_length
 
     default_client_name = 'nova'
 
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py
index c41247b562..07ace1f35f 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from heat.engine import translation
 from heat.rpc import api as rpc_api
 
 cfg.CONF.import_opt('default_software_config_transport', 'heat.common.config')
+cfg.CONF.import_opt('max_server_name_length', 'heat.common.config')
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -577,9 +578,7 @@ class Server(stack_user.StackUser, sh.SchedulerHintsMixin,
         ),
     }
 
-    # Server host name limit to 53 characters by due to typical default
-    # linux HOST_NAME_MAX of 64, minus the .novalocal appended to the name
-    physical_resource_name_limit = 53
+    physical_resource_name_limit = cfg.CONF.max_server_name_length
 
     default_client_name = 'nova'
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/configurable-server-name-limit-947d9152fe9b43ee.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/configurable-server-name-limit-947d9152fe9b43ee.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee947b2810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/configurable-server-name-limit-947d9152fe9b43ee.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+features:
+    - Adds new 'max_server_name_length' configuration option
+      which defaults to the prior upper bound (53) and can be
+      lowered by users (if they need to, for example due to
+      ldap or other internal name limit restrictions).