diff --git a/src/editor/history.js b/src/editor/history.js
index 02f72bb5b4..7a4dbd8e66 100644
--- a/src/editor/history.js
+++ b/src/editor/history.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
+export const MAX_STEP_LENGTH = 10;
+
 export default class HistoryManager {
     constructor() {
         this._stack = [];
@@ -30,9 +32,8 @@ export default class HistoryManager {
                 return true;
             }
             if (diff.added) {
-                // only append after every 5th keystroke while typing
                 this._newlyTypedCharCount += diff.added.length;
-                return this._newlyTypedCharCount > 5;
+                return this._newlyTypedCharCount > MAX_STEP_LENGTH;
             }
         } else {
             return true;
diff --git a/test/editor/history-test.js b/test/editor/history-test.js
index 13a145201b..5101a39e6c 100644
--- a/test/editor/history-test.js
+++ b/test/editor/history-test.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import expect from 'expect';
-import HistoryManager from "../../src/editor/history";
+import HistoryManager, {MAX_STEP_LENGTH} from "../../src/editor/history";
 
 describe('editor/history', function() {
     it('push, then undo', function() {
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ describe('editor/history', function() {
         expect(undoState.caret).toEqual(firstCaret);
         expect(undoState.parts).toEqual(["hello"]);
         expect(history.canUndo()).toEqual(false);
-        expect(keystrokeCount).toBeGreaterThan(2);
-        expect(keystrokeCount).toBeLessThan(20);
+        expect(keystrokeCount).toEqual(MAX_STEP_LENGTH + 1); // +1 before we type before checking
     });
     it('keystroke that didn\'t add a step can undo', function() {
         const history = new HistoryManager();