diff --git a/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.cpp b/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.cpp
index d6c34a648c..a4b41ec0c2 100644
--- a/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.cpp
+++ b/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.cpp
@@ -561,7 +561,17 @@ Image::Image(BPath path)
 	fBitmap(NULL),
 	fPath(path)
 {
-	name = path.Leaf();
+	const int32 kMaxWidth = 40;
+	fName = path.Leaf();
+	int extra = fName.Length() - kMaxWidth;
+	if (extra > 0) {
+		int offset = fName.FindLast('.');
+		if (offset > 0) {
+			offset++;
+			fName.Truncate(offset - extra) << B_UTF8_ELLIPSIS;
+			fName.Append(path.Leaf() + offset);
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.h b/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.h
index aa11a711df..1e4ca03c80 100644
--- a/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.h
+++ b/src/preferences/backgrounds/BackgroundImage.h
@@ -165,13 +165,13 @@ public:
 	~Image();
 
 	void UnloadBitmap();
-	const char* GetName() {return name.String();}
+	const char* GetName() { return fName.String(); }
 	BBitmap* GetBitmap();
-	BPath GetPath() {return fPath;}
+	BPath GetPath() { return fPath; }
 private:
 	BBitmap* fBitmap;
 	BPath fPath;
-	BString name;
+	BString fName;
 };
 
 #endif