diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSet.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSet.java
index 065e84245..2cc1598ef 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSet.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSet.java
@@ -309,7 +309,8 @@ public abstract class FinSet extends ExternalComponent implements AxialPositiona
 		}
 		
 		tabHeight = newTabHeight;
-		validateFinTabHeight();
+		double maxTabHeight = getMaxTabHeight();
+		this.tabHeight = Math.min(this.tabHeight,  maxTabHeight);
 		fireComponentChangeEvent(ComponentChangeEvent.MASS_CHANGE);
 	}
 	
@@ -424,20 +425,24 @@ public abstract class FinSet extends ExternalComponent implements AxialPositiona
 		
 		//System.err.println(String.format("    << Fin Tab Length: %.6f @ %.6f", tabLength, tabOffset));
 	}
-	
-	public void validateFinTabHeight(){
+
+	/**
+	 * Calculates the maximum height that the fin tabs can be, depending on the parent shape.
+	 * @return maximum tab height value
+	 */
+	public double getMaxTabHeight() {
 		// check tab height 
-		if( null != getParent() ){
+		if (null != getParent() ){
+			final Coordinate finFront = this.getFinFront();
+
 			// pulls the parent-body radius at the fin-tab reference point.
 			final double xLead = this.getTabFrontEdge();
 			final double xTrail = this.getTabTrailingEdge();
 			
 			final SymmetricComponent sym = (SymmetricComponent)this.parent;
-			final double bodyRadius = MathUtil.min(sym.getRadius( xLead), sym.getRadius( xTrail));
-			
-			// limit the new heights to be no greater than the current body radius.
-			this.tabHeight = Math.min( this.tabHeight,  bodyRadius );
+			return MathUtil.min(sym.getRadius(finFront.x + xLead), sym.getRadius(finFront.x + xTrail));
 		}
+		return Double.MAX_VALUE;
 	}
 	
 	///////////  Calculation methods  //////////
diff --git a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/FinSetConfig.java b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/FinSetConfig.java
index b6fa091aa..ccf4fc0d0 100644
--- a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/FinSetConfig.java
+++ b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/FinSetConfig.java
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.CenteringRing;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.FinSet;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.FreeformFinSet;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.InnerTube;
-import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.RingComponent;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.RocketComponent;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.SymmetricComponent;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.position.AxialMethod;
@@ -156,16 +155,19 @@ public abstract class FinSetConfig extends RocketComponentConfig {
 		JLabel label;
 		DoubleModel length;
 		DoubleModel length2;
+		DoubleModel maxTabHeight;
 		DoubleModel length_2;
 		JSpinner spin;
 		JButton autoCalc;
 		
 		length = new DoubleModel(component, "Length", UnitGroup.UNITS_LENGTH, 0);
+		maxTabHeight = new DoubleModel(component, "MaxTabHeight", 1, UnitGroup.UNITS_LENGTH, 0);
 		length2 = new DoubleModel(component, "Length", 0.5, UnitGroup.UNITS_LENGTH, 0);
 		length_2 = new DoubleModel(component, "Length", -0.5, UnitGroup.UNITS_LENGTH, 0);
 		
 		register(length);
 		register(length2);
+		register(maxTabHeight);
 		register(length_2);
 		
 		////  Tab length
@@ -192,14 +194,14 @@ public abstract class FinSetConfig extends RocketComponentConfig {
 		label.setToolTipText(trans.get("FinSetConfig.ttip.Tabheight"));
 		panel.add(label, "gapleft para");
 		
-		final DoubleModel tabHeightModel = new DoubleModel(component, "TabHeight", UnitGroup.UNITS_LENGTH, 0);
+		final DoubleModel tabHeightModel = new DoubleModel(component, "TabHeight", UnitGroup.UNITS_LENGTH, 0, ((FinSet)component).getMaxTabHeight());
 		component.addChangeListener( tabHeightModel );
 		spin = new JSpinner(tabHeightModel.getSpinnerModel());
 		spin.setEditor(new SpinnerEditor(spin));
 		panel.add(spin, "growx");
 		
 		panel.add(new UnitSelector(tabHeightModel), "growx");
-		panel.add(new BasicSlider(tabHeightModel.getSliderModel(DoubleModel.ZERO, length2)),
+		panel.add(new BasicSlider(tabHeightModel.getSliderModel(DoubleModel.ZERO, maxTabHeight)),
 				"w 100lp, growx 5, wrap");
 		
 		////  Tab position: