diff --git a/dendrite-config.yaml b/dendrite-config.yaml
index e5cbd4781..25503692b 100644
--- a/dendrite-config.yaml
+++ b/dendrite-config.yaml
@@ -76,6 +76,12 @@ global:
     # Kafka.
     use_naffka: true
 
+    # The max size a Kafka message is allowed to use.
+    # You only need to change this value, if you encounter issues with too large messages.
+    # Must be less than/equal to "max.message.bytes" configured in Kafka.
+    # Defaults to 8388608 bytes.
+    # max_message_bytes: 8388608
+
     # Naffka database options. Not required when using Kafka.
     naffka_database:
       connection_string: file:naffka.db
diff --git a/internal/config/config_kafka.go b/internal/config/config_kafka.go
index e2bd6538e..707c92a71 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_kafka.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_kafka.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ type Kafka struct {
 	UseNaffka bool `yaml:"use_naffka"`
 	// The Naffka database is used internally by the naffka library, if used.
 	Database DatabaseOptions `yaml:"naffka_database"`
+	// The max size a Kafka message passed between consumer/producer can have
+	// Equals roughly max.message.bytes / fetch.message.max.bytes in Kafka
+	MaxMessageBytes *int `yaml:"max_message_bytes"`
 }
 
 func (k *Kafka) TopicFor(name string) string {
@@ -36,6 +39,9 @@ func (c *Kafka) Defaults() {
 	c.Addresses = []string{"localhost:2181"}
 	c.Database.ConnectionString = DataSource("file:naffka.db")
 	c.TopicPrefix = "Dendrite"
+
+	maxBytes := 1024 * 1024 * 8 // about 8MB
+	c.MaxMessageBytes = &maxBytes
 }
 
 func (c *Kafka) Verify(configErrs *ConfigErrors, isMonolith bool) {
@@ -50,4 +56,5 @@ func (c *Kafka) Verify(configErrs *ConfigErrors, isMonolith bool) {
 		checkNotZero(configErrs, "global.kafka.addresses", int64(len(c.Addresses)))
 	}
 	checkNotEmpty(configErrs, "global.kafka.topic_prefix", string(c.TopicPrefix))
+	checkPositive(configErrs, "global.kafka.max_message_bytes", int64(*c.MaxMessageBytes))
 }
diff --git a/internal/setup/kafka/kafka.go b/internal/setup/kafka/kafka.go
index 9855ae156..091025ec7 100644
--- a/internal/setup/kafka/kafka.go
+++ b/internal/setup/kafka/kafka.go
@@ -17,12 +17,17 @@ func SetupConsumerProducer(cfg *config.Kafka) (sarama.Consumer, sarama.SyncProdu
 
 // setupKafka creates kafka consumer/producer pair from the config.
 func setupKafka(cfg *config.Kafka) (sarama.Consumer, sarama.SyncProducer) {
-	consumer, err := sarama.NewConsumer(cfg.Addresses, nil)
+	sCfg := sarama.NewConfig()
+	sCfg.Producer.MaxMessageBytes = *cfg.MaxMessageBytes
+	sCfg.Producer.Return.Successes = true
+	sCfg.Consumer.Fetch.Default = int32(*cfg.MaxMessageBytes)
+
+	consumer, err := sarama.NewConsumer(cfg.Addresses, sCfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.WithError(err).Panic("failed to start kafka consumer")
 	}
 
-	producer, err := sarama.NewSyncProducer(cfg.Addresses, nil)
+	producer, err := sarama.NewSyncProducer(cfg.Addresses, sCfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.WithError(err).Panic("failed to setup kafka producers")
 	}
diff --git a/roomserver/internal/input/input.go b/roomserver/internal/input/input.go
index d340ac218..99c15f77a 100644
--- a/roomserver/internal/input/input.go
+++ b/roomserver/internal/input/input.go
@@ -102,7 +102,13 @@ func (r *Inputer) WriteOutputEvents(roomID string, updates []api.OutputEvent) er
 			Value: sarama.ByteEncoder(value),
 		}
 	}
-	return r.Producer.SendMessages(messages)
+	errs := r.Producer.SendMessages(messages)
+	if errs != nil {
+		for _, err := range errs.(sarama.ProducerErrors) {
+			log.WithError(err).WithField("message_bytes", err.Msg.Value.Length()).Error("Write to kafka failed")
+		}
+	}
+	return errs
 }
 
 // InputRoomEvents implements api.RoomserverInternalAPI