diff --git a/src/LyXRC.cpp b/src/LyXRC.cpp
index b320d9c316..2f58f3b48a 100644
--- a/src/LyXRC.cpp
+++ b/src/LyXRC.cpp
@@ -111,7 +111,6 @@ LexerKeyword lyxrcTags[] = {
 	{ "\\kbmap", LyXRC::RC_KBMAP },
 	{ "\\kbmap_primary", LyXRC::RC_KBMAP_PRIMARY },
 	{ "\\kbmap_secondary", LyXRC::RC_KBMAP_SECONDARY },
-	{ "\\label_init_length", LyXRC::RC_LABEL_INIT_LENGTH },
 	{ "\\language_auto_begin", LyXRC::RC_LANGUAGE_AUTO_BEGIN },
 	{ "\\language_auto_end", LyXRC::RC_LANGUAGE_AUTO_END },
 	{ "\\language_command_begin", LyXRC::RC_LANGUAGE_COMMAND_BEGIN },
@@ -314,7 +313,6 @@ void LyXRC::setDefaults()
 	mac_like_word_movement = false;
 	macro_edit_style = MACRO_EDIT_INLINE_BOX;
 	dialogs_iconify_with_main = false;
-	label_init_length = 3;
 	preview = PREVIEW_OFF;
 	preview_hashed_labels  = false;
 	preview_scale_factor = 1.0;
@@ -1077,10 +1075,6 @@ int LyXRC::read(Lexer & lexrc)
 			lexrc >> gui_language;
 			break;
 
-		case RC_LABEL_INIT_LENGTH:
-			lexrc >> label_init_length;
-			break;
-
 		case RC_SHOW_BANNER:
 			lexrc >> show_banner;
 			break;
@@ -1523,14 +1517,6 @@ void LyXRC::write(ostream & os, bool ignore_system_lyxrc, string const & name) c
 		}
 		if (tag != RC_LAST)
 			break;
-	case RC_LABEL_INIT_LENGTH:
-		if (ignore_system_lyxrc ||
-		    label_init_length != system_lyxrc.label_init_length) {
-			os << "\\label_init_length " << label_init_length
-			   << '\n';
-		}
-		if (tag != RC_LAST)
-			break;
 
 	case RC_USER_NAME:
 		os << "\\user_name \"" << user_name << "\"\n";
@@ -2708,7 +2694,6 @@ void actOnUpdatedPrefs(LyXRC const & lyxrc_orig, LyXRC const & lyxrc_new)
 	case LyXRC::RC_KBMAP:
 	case LyXRC::RC_KBMAP_PRIMARY:
 	case LyXRC::RC_KBMAP_SECONDARY:
-	case LyXRC::RC_LABEL_INIT_LENGTH:
 	case LyXRC::RC_LANGUAGE_AUTO_BEGIN:
 	case LyXRC::RC_LANGUAGE_AUTO_END:
 	case LyXRC::RC_LANGUAGE_COMMAND_BEGIN:
@@ -2963,10 +2948,6 @@ string const LyXRC::getDescription(LyXRCTags tag)
 		str = _("Use this to set the correct mapping file for your keyboard. You'll need this if you for instance want to type German documents on an American keyboard.");
 		break;
 
-	case RC_LABEL_INIT_LENGTH:
-		str = _("Maximum number of words in the initialization string for a new label");
-		break;
-
 	case RC_LANGUAGE_AUTO_BEGIN:
 		str = _("Select if a language switching command is needed at the beginning of the document.");
 		break;
diff --git a/src/LyXRC.h b/src/LyXRC.h
index 3847f96c78..45e203af7e 100644
--- a/src/LyXRC.h
+++ b/src/LyXRC.h
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ public:
 		RC_KBMAP,
 		RC_KBMAP_PRIMARY,
 		RC_KBMAP_SECONDARY,
-		RC_LABEL_INIT_LENGTH,
 		RC_LANGUAGE_AUTO_BEGIN,
 		RC_LANGUAGE_AUTO_END,
 		RC_LANGUAGE_COMMAND_BEGIN,
@@ -417,8 +416,6 @@ public:
 	///
 	bool dialogs_iconify_with_main;
 	///
-	int label_init_length;
-	///
 	bool display_graphics;
 	///
 	bool show_banner;
diff --git a/src/Text.cpp b/src/Text.cpp
index 8035739390..33932d4e9f 100644
--- a/src/Text.cpp
+++ b/src/Text.cpp
@@ -1834,10 +1834,11 @@ docstring Text::getPossibleLabel(Cursor const & cur) const
 
 	docstring text;
 	docstring par_text = pars_[pit].asString();
-	string piece;
-	// the return string of math matrices might contain linebreaks
+
+	// The return string of math matrices might contain linebreaks
 	par_text = subst(par_text, '\n', '-');
-	for (int i = 0; i < lyxrc.label_init_length; ++i) {
+	int const numwords = 3;
+	for (int i = 0; i < numwords; ++i) {
 		if (par_text.empty())
 			break;
 		docstring head;
@@ -1847,12 +1848,13 @@ docstring Text::getPossibleLabel(Cursor const & cur) const
 			text += '-';
 		text += head;
 	}
+	
+	// Make sure it isn't too long
+	unsigned int const max_label_length = 32;
+	if (text.size() > max_label_length)
+		text.resize(max_label_length);
 
-	// No need for a prefix if the user said so.
-	if (lyxrc.label_init_length <= 0)
-		return text;
-
-	// Will contain the label type.
+	// Will contain the label prefix.
 	docstring name;
 
 	// For section, subsection, etc...
@@ -1866,7 +1868,7 @@ docstring Text::getPossibleLabel(Cursor const & cur) const
 	if (layout->latextype != LATEX_PARAGRAPH)
 		name = layout->refprefix;
 
-	// for captions, we just take the caption type
+	// For captions, we just take the caption type
 	Inset * caption_inset = cur.innerInsetOfType(CAPTION_CODE);
 	if (caption_inset) {
 		string const & ftype = static_cast<InsetCaption *>(caption_inset)->type();
@@ -1886,9 +1888,8 @@ docstring Text::getPossibleLabel(Cursor const & cur) const
 	}
 
 	if (!name.empty())
-		// FIXME
-		// we should allow customization of the separator or else change it
-		// once we have refstyle
+		// FIXME refstyle
+		// We should allow customization of the separator or else change it
 		text = name + ':' + text;
 
 	return text;
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp
index 7f4897c8e3..35e4186e2b 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp
@@ -1275,8 +1275,9 @@ void InsetMathHull::doDispatch(Cursor & cur, FuncRequest & cmd)
 		cur.recordUndoInset();
 		row_type r = (type_ == hullMultline) ? nrows() - 1 : cur.row();
 		docstring old_label = label(r);
-		docstring const default_label = from_ascii(
-			(lyxrc.label_init_length >= 0) ? "eq:" : "");
+		// FIXME refstyle
+		// Allow customization of this separator
+		docstring const default_label = from_ascii("eq:");
 		if (old_label.empty())
 			old_label = default_label;