diff --git a/db/laconica.sql b/db/laconica.sql
index ff8c4c13ee..f011071760 100644
--- a/db/laconica.sql
+++ b/db/laconica.sql
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ create table group_inbox (
 create table file (
 
     id integer primary key auto_increment,
-    url varchar(2047) comment 'destination URL after following redirections',
+    url varchar(255) comment 'destination URL after following redirections',
     mimetype varchar(50) comment 'mime type of resource',
     size integer comment 'size of resource when available',
     title varchar(255) comment 'title of resource when available',
diff --git a/db/laconica_pg.sql b/db/laconica_pg.sql
index 59300c8ca5..b5626d3f4a 100644
--- a/db/laconica_pg.sql
+++ b/db/laconica_pg.sql
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ create index group_inbox_created_idx on group_inbox using btree(created);
 create sequence file_seq;
 create table file (
     id bigint default nextval('file_seq') primary key /* comment 'unique identifier' */,
-    url varchar(2047) unique, 
+    url varchar(255) unique, 
     mimetype varchar(50), 
     size integer, 
     title varchar(255),