diff --git a/app/PdeEditorConsole.java b/app/PdeEditorConsole.java
index cbc6686cd..7836d2b21 100644
--- a/app/PdeEditorConsole.java
+++ b/app/PdeEditorConsole.java
@@ -122,11 +122,10 @@ public class PdeEditorConsole extends JScrollPane {
     // and size window accordingly
     FontMetrics metrics = this.getFontMetrics(font);
     int height = metrics.getAscent() + metrics.getDescent();
-    int lines = PdeBase.getInteger("editor.console.lines", 6);
-    int sizeFudge = 10; // unclear why this is necessary, but it is
-    Dimension prefDimension = 
-      new Dimension(1024, (height * lines) + sizeFudge);
-    setPreferredSize(prefDimension);
+    int lines = PdeBase.getInteger("editor.console.lines", 4);
+    int sizeFudge = 6; //10; // unclear why this is necessary, but it is
+    setPreferredSize(new Dimension(1024, (height * lines) + sizeFudge));
+    setMinimumSize(new Dimension(1024, (height * 4) + sizeFudge));
 
     if (systemOut == null) {
       systemOut = System.out;
@@ -166,6 +165,12 @@ public class PdeEditorConsole extends JScrollPane {
         System.setErr(consoleErr);
       }
     }
+
+    //for (int i = 0; i < lines; i++) {
+      //appendText("b\r\n", false);
+    //appendText("\n", false);
+    //appendText(System.getProperty("line.separator"), false);
+    //}
   }
 
 
@@ -219,7 +224,7 @@ public class PdeEditorConsole extends JScrollPane {
       consoleDoc.insertString(consoleDoc.getLength(), text, 
                               err ? errStyle : stdStyle);
 
-      // always move to the end of the text as it's added
+      // always move to the end of the text as it's added [fry]
       consoleTextPane.setCaretPosition(consoleDoc.getLength());
 
     } catch (Exception e) { }
diff --git a/build/shared/lib/pde.properties b/build/shared/lib/pde.properties
index e04f20bb3..8a0686d7c 100644
--- a/build/shared/lib/pde.properties
+++ b/build/shared/lib/pde.properties
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ editor.console.bgcolor          = #1A1A00
 editor.console.fgcolor.output   = #ccccbb
 editor.console.fgcolor.error    = #cc0000
 editor.console.font             = Monospaced,plain,11
-editor.console.lines            = 6
+#editor.console.lines            = 4
 
 editor.status.notice.fgcolor = #333322
 editor.status.notice.bgcolor = #bbbbaa