diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_maps/init.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_maps/init.lua
index 8b1924fe0..9f0245c3f 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_maps/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_maps/init.lua
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 -- Check for engine updates that allow improvements
 mcl_maps = {}
 
-mcl_maps.max_zoom = (tonumber(core.settings:get("vl_maps_max_zoom")) or 4)
+mcl_maps.max_zoom = (tonumber(core.settings:get("vl_maps_max_zoom")) or 3)
 mcl_maps.enable_maps = core.settings:get_bool("enable_real_maps", true)
 mcl_maps.allow_nether_maps = core.settings:get_bool("vl_maps_allow_nether", true)
 mcl_maps.map_allow_overlap = core.settings:get_bool("vl_maps_allow_overlap", true) -- 50% overlap allowed in each level
diff --git a/settingtypes.txt b/settingtypes.txt
index e9531f82b..b705c782e 100644
--- a/settingtypes.txt
+++ b/settingtypes.txt
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ vl_maps_allow_nether (Make maps in the Nether useful) bool true
 vl_maps_allow_overlap (Allow overlapping maps by 50%) bool true
 
 # Maximum map zoom level permitted (high zoom levels can take very long, do not increase on multiplayer servers)
-vl_maps_max_zoom (Maximum Zoom Level) int 2 1 5
+vl_maps_max_zoom (Maximum map zoom level) int 3 1 5
 
 # How many times per second should handheld maps be updated
 vl_maps_update_rate (Map updates per second) int 15 1 60