diff --git a/core/dbt/config/profile.py b/core/dbt/config/profile.py
index 835718ea25a..d48c16b295f 100644
--- a/core/dbt/config/profile.py
+++ b/core/dbt/config/profile.py
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@ def read_profile(profiles_dir):
 
 
 class UserConfig(object):
-    def __init__(self, send_anonymous_usage_stats, use_colors):
+    def __init__(self, send_anonymous_usage_stats, use_colors, printer_width):
         self.send_anonymous_usage_stats = send_anonymous_usage_stats
         self.use_colors = use_colors
+        self.printer_width = printer_width
 
     @classmethod
     def from_dict(cls, cfg=None):
@@ -75,7 +76,10 @@ def from_dict(cls, cfg=None):
             'use_colors',
             DEFAULT_USE_COLORS
         )
-        return cls(send_anonymous_usage_stats, use_colors)
+        printer_width = cfg.get(
+            'printer_width'
+        )
+        return cls(send_anonymous_usage_stats, use_colors, printer_width)
 
     def to_dict(self):
         return {
diff --git a/core/dbt/main.py b/core/dbt/main.py
index 18f1dacd9b6..34907f196e1 100644
--- a/core/dbt/main.py
+++ b/core/dbt/main.py
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ def initialize_config_values(parsed):
     if cfg.use_colors:
         dbt.ui.printer.use_colors()
 
+    if cfg.printer_width:
+        dbt.ui.printer.printer_width(cfg.printer_width)
+
 
 def handle_and_check(args):
     parsed = parse_args(args)
diff --git a/core/dbt/ui/printer.py b/core/dbt/ui/printer.py
index 8bbdd294ae8..a862c8e4c49 100644
--- a/core/dbt/ui/printer.py
+++ b/core/dbt/ui/printer.py
@@ -13,12 +13,19 @@
 COLOR_FG_YELLOW = dbt.ui.colors.COLORS['yellow']
 COLOR_RESET_ALL = dbt.ui.colors.COLORS['reset_all']
 
+PRINTER_WIDTH = 80
+
 
 def use_colors():
     global USE_COLORS
     USE_COLORS = True
 
 
+def printer_width(printer_width):
+    global PRINTER_WIDTH
+    PRINTER_WIDTH = printer_width
+
+
 def get_timestamp():
     return time.strftime("%H:%M:%S")
 
@@ -60,9 +67,10 @@ def print_fancy_output_line(msg, status, index, total, execution_time=None,
         progress=progress,
         message=msg)
 
-    justified = prefix.ljust(80, ".")
-    if truncate and len(justified) > 77:
-        justified = justified[:77] + '...'
+    truncate_width = PRINTER_WIDTH - 3
+    justified = prefix.ljust(PRINTER_WIDTH, ".")
+    if truncate and len(justified) > truncate_width:
+        justified = justified[:truncate_width] + '...'
 
     if execution_time is None:
         status_time = ""
diff --git a/test/unit/test_config.py b/test/unit/test_config.py
index ce3971a89c4..c2c70dba04b 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_config.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_config.py
@@ -239,12 +239,14 @@ def test_config_override(self):
     def test_partial_config_override(self):
         self.default_profile_data['config'] = {
             'send_anonymous_usage_stats': False,
+            'printer_width': 60
         }
         profile = self.from_raw_profiles()
         self.assertEqual(profile.profile_name, 'default')
         self.assertEqual(profile.target_name, 'postgres')
         self.assertFalse(profile.config.send_anonymous_usage_stats)
         self.assertTrue(profile.config.use_colors)
+        self.assertEqual(profile.config.printer_width, 60)
 
     def test_missing_type(self):
         del self.default_profile_data['default']['outputs']['postgres']['type']