diff --git a/hbd/server/notify.py b/hbd/server/notify.py
index be5bf61..4cc6655 100644
--- a/hbd/server/notify.py
+++ b/hbd/server/notify.py
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ def eventlog(host, lvl, m, service=None):
         "message": m,
     }
     data.msgs.append(msg)
+    # Cap the in-memory buffer so it doesn't grow without bound; this list is
+    # replayed to every dashboard client on connect and persisted in the pickle.
+    cap = _config.get("msg_buffer_size", 500)
+    if cap and len(data.msgs) > cap:
+        del data.msgs[:-cap]
     s = f"{time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', time.localtime(ts))} {lvl} "
     if host:
         s += f"{host} "
diff --git a/hbd/server/ws.py b/hbd/server/ws.py
index f8f9d6c..1128203 100644
--- a/hbd/server/ws.py
+++ b/hbd/server/ws.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ async def handler(request):
         # the client knows to append rather than prepend).
         if data.msgs:
             try:
-                for m in reversed(data.msgs):
+                for m in reversed(data.msgs[-30:]):
                     host_name = m.get("host") if isinstance(m, dict) else None
                     if not host_name or _user_can_see_host(user, host_name):
                         await ws.send_str(json.dumps({"type": "message", "data": m, "history": True}))