diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el b/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
index eb36deca..5b4dee11 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
@@ -247,6 +247,11 @@ 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 5a12fee9..177a1ed9 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
@@ -375,7 +375,8 @@ article-mode."
 	gnus-summary-buffer (get-buffer-create " *appease-gnus*")
 	gnus-original-article-buffer (current-buffer))
       (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-message msg)
       (setq gnus-article-decoded-p gnus-article-decode-hook)