diff --git a/src/project_manager.zig b/src/project_manager.zig
index 04c855b..7ce06bb 100644
--- a/src/project_manager.zig
+++ b/src/project_manager.zig
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ pub fn open(project_directory: []const u8) tp.result {
     return (try get()).pid.send(.{ "open", project_directory });
 }
 
-pub fn request_recent_files() tp.result {
+pub fn request_recent_files(max: usize) tp.result {
     const project = tp.env.get().str("project");
     if (project.len == 0)
         return tp.exit("No project");
-    return (try get()).pid.send(.{ "request_recent_files", project });
+    return (try get()).pid.send(.{ "request_recent_files", project, max });
 }
 
 const Process = struct {
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ const Process = struct {
         var path: []const u8 = undefined;
         var high: i64 = 0;
         var low: i64 = 0;
+        var max: usize = 0;
 
         if (try m.match(.{ "walk_tree_entry", tp.extract(&project_directory), tp.extract(&path), tp.extract(&high), tp.extract(&low) })) {
             const mtime = (@as(i128, @intCast(high)) << 64) | @as(i128, @intCast(low));
@@ -113,8 +114,8 @@ const Process = struct {
             });
         } else if (try m.match(.{ "open", tp.extract(&project_directory) })) {
             self.open(project_directory) catch |e| return from.send_raw(tp.exit_message(e));
-        } else if (try m.match(.{ "request_recent_files", tp.extract(&project_directory) })) {
-            self.request_recent_files(from, project_directory) catch |e| return from.send_raw(tp.exit_message(e));
+        } else if (try m.match(.{ "request_recent_files", tp.extract(&project_directory), tp.extract(&max) })) {
+            self.request_recent_files(from, project_directory, max) catch |e| return from.send_raw(tp.exit_message(e));
         } else if (try m.match(.{"shutdown"})) {
             if (self.walker) |pid| pid.send(.{"stop"}) catch {};
             try from.send(.{ "project_manager", "shutdown" });
@@ -136,9 +137,10 @@ const Process = struct {
         }
     }
 
-    fn request_recent_files(self: *Process, from: tp.pid_ref, project_directory: []const u8) error{ OutOfMemory, Exit }!void {
+    fn request_recent_files(self: *Process, from: tp.pid_ref, project_directory: []const u8, max: usize) error{ OutOfMemory, Exit }!void {
         const project = if (self.projects.get(project_directory)) |p| p else return tp.exit("No project");
-        return project.request_recent_files(from);
+        project.sort_files_by_mtime();
+        return project.request_recent_files(from, max);
     }
 };
 
@@ -181,9 +183,11 @@ const Project = struct {
         std.mem.sort(File, self.files.items, {}, less_fn);
     }
 
-    fn request_recent_files(self: *Project, from: tp.pid_ref) error{ OutOfMemory, Exit }!void {
-        for (self.files.items) |file|
+    fn request_recent_files(self: *Project, from: tp.pid_ref, max: usize) error{ OutOfMemory, Exit }!void {
+        for (self.files.items, 0..) |file, i| {
             try from.send(.{ "PRJ", "recent", file.path });
+            if (i >= max) return;
+        }
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/tui/mode/overlay/open_recent.zig b/src/tui/mode/overlay/open_recent.zig
index 204235d..bb96d7e 100644
--- a/src/tui/mode/overlay/open_recent.zig
+++ b/src/tui/mode/overlay/open_recent.zig
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const mainview = @import("../../mainview.zig");
 const project_manager = @import("project_manager");
 
 const Self = @This();
+const max_recent_files: usize = 25;
 
 a: std.mem.Allocator,
 f: usize = 0,
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ pub fn create(a: std.mem.Allocator) !tui.Mode {
     };
     try self.commands.init(self);
     try tui.current().message_filters.add(MessageFilter.bind(self, receive_project_manager));
-    try project_manager.request_recent_files();
+    try project_manager.request_recent_files(max_recent_files);
     self.menu.resize(.{ .y = 0, .x = 25, .w = 32 });
     try mv.floating_views.add(self.menu.menu_widget);
     return .{
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ fn receive_project_manager(self: *Self, _: tp.pid_ref, m: tp.message) error{Exit
 fn process_project_manager(self: *Self, m: tp.message) tp.result {
     var file_name: []const u8 = undefined;
     if (try m.match(.{ "PRJ", "recent", tp.extract(&file_name) })) {
-        if (self.count < 15) {
+        if (self.count < max_recent_files) {
             self.count += 1;
             self.longest = @max(self.longest, file_name.len);
             self.menu.add_item_with_handler(file_name, menu_action_open_file) catch |e| return tp.exit_error(e);