diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el b/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
index 1b033a21..3d0d85ce 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
@@ -248,6 +248,11 @@ and `mu4e-headers-visible-columns'."
 		 (const :tag "Don't split" nil))
   :group 'mu4e-headers)
 
+(defcustom mu4e-view-max-specpdl-size 4096
+  "The value of `max-specpdl-size' for displaying messages with Gnus."
+  :type 'integer
+  :group 'mu4e-view)
+
 (defcustom mu4e-view-show-images nil
   "If non-nil, automatically display images in the view buffer."
   :type 'boolean
diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-view.el b/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
index 32db3b62..ab094552 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
@@ -371,7 +371,8 @@ article-mode."
       (article-de-base64-unreadable)
       (article-de-quoted-unreadable)
       (run-hooks 'gnus-article-decode-hook)
-      (gnus-article-prepare-display)
+      (let ((max-specpdl-size mu4e-view-max-specpdl-size))
+        (gnus-article-prepare-display))
       (mu4e-view-mode)
       (setq mu4e~view-msg msg)
       (setq gnus-article-decoded-p gnus-article-decode-hook)