diff --git a/src/automate.c b/src/automate.c
index 9f4d85b6c..0764381f2 100644
--- a/src/automate.c
+++ b/src/automate.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 
+#include "kernel/config.h"
 #include "kernel/faction.h"
 #include "kernel/messages.h"
 #include "kernel/order.h"
@@ -46,8 +47,10 @@ int autostudy_init(scholar scholars[], int max_scholars, unit **units)
                         st->level = (short)effskill_study(u, sk);
                         st->learn = 0;
                         st->u = u;
-                        if (++nscholars > max_scholars) {
-                            log_fatal("you must increase MAXSCHOLARS");
+                        if (++nscholars >= max_scholars) {
+                            log_warning("you must increase MAXSCHOLARS");
+                            *units = u->next;
+                            return max_scholars;
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -161,15 +164,19 @@ void autostudy_run(scholar scholars[], int nscholars)
     }
 }
 
-#define MAXSCHOLARS 512
-
 void do_autostudy(region *r)
 {
     static int max_scholars;
     unit *units = r->units;
     scholar scholars[MAXSCHOLARS];
+    static int config;
+    static int batchsize = MAXSCHOLARS;
+    if (config_changed(&config)) {
+        batchsize = config_get_int("automate.batchsize", MAXSCHOLARS);
+        assert(batchsize <= MAXSCHOLARS);
+    }
     while (units) {
-        int i, nscholars = autostudy_init(scholars, MAXSCHOLARS, &units);
+        int i, nscholars = autostudy_init(scholars, batchsize, &units);
         if (nscholars > max_scholars) {
             stats_count("automate.max_scholars", nscholars - max_scholars);
             max_scholars = nscholars;
diff --git a/src/automate.h b/src/automate.h
index 1a6e9638a..1a7738363 100644
--- a/src/automate.h
+++ b/src/automate.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ typedef struct scholar {
     short level;
 } scholar;
 
+#define MAXSCHOLARS 128
 #define STUDENTS_PER_TEACHER 10
 
 void do_autostudy(struct region *r);
diff --git a/src/automate.test.c b/src/automate.test.c
index 732ee46a9..d4e5650e6 100644
--- a/src/automate.test.c
+++ b/src/automate.test.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "automate.h"
 
+#include "kernel/config.h"
 #include "kernel/faction.h"
 #include "kernel/order.h"
 #include "kernel/region.h"
@@ -231,9 +232,44 @@ static void test_autostudy_run_skilldiff(CuTest *tc) {
     test_teardown();
 }
 
+static void test_do_autostudy(CuTest *tc) {
+    scholar scholars[2];
+    int nscholars;
+    unit *u1, *u2, *u3, *ulist;
+    faction *f;
+    region *r;
+
+    test_setup();
+    r = test_create_plain(0, 0);
+    f = test_create_faction(NULL);
+    u1 = test_create_unit(f, r);
+    u1->thisorder = create_order(K_AUTOSTUDY, f->locale, skillnames[SK_PERCEPTION]);
+    set_number(u1, 1);
+    set_level(u1, SK_PERCEPTION, 2);
+    u2 = test_create_unit(f, r);
+    u2->thisorder = create_order(K_AUTOSTUDY, f->locale, skillnames[SK_PERCEPTION]);
+    set_number(u2, 10);
+    u3 = test_create_unit(f, r);
+    u3->thisorder = create_order(K_AUTOSTUDY, f->locale, skillnames[SK_PERCEPTION]);
+    set_number(u3, 10);
+    scholars[1].u = NULL;
+    ulist = r->units;
+    config_set("automate.batchsize", "2");
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 2, nscholars = autostudy_init(scholars, 2, &ulist));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u3, ulist);
+    autostudy_run(scholars, nscholars);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, scholars[0].learn);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 20, scholars[1].learn);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, nscholars = autostudy_init(scholars, 2, &ulist));
+    autostudy_run(scholars, nscholars);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 10, scholars[0].learn);
+    test_teardown();
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_automate_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_do_autostudy);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_autostudy_init);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_autostudy_run);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_autostudy_run_noteachers);