diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1a9bab60..efe35025 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ API Changes:
 * auto_fragment is a member of stream
 * binary, text are members of stream
 * read_buffer_size is a member of stream
+* read_message_max is a member of stream
 
 Actions Required:
 
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ Actions Required:
 * Change call sites which use read_buffer_size with set_option to
   call stream::read_buffer_size instead.
 
+* Change call sites which use read_message_max with set_option to
+  call stream::read_message_max instead.
+
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Version 51
diff --git a/doc/quickref.xml b/doc/quickref.xml
index 77908a45..34e1ac0a 100644
--- a/doc/quickref.xml
+++ b/doc/quickref.xml
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@
           <simplelist type="vert" columns="1">
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.websocket__permessage_deflate">permessage_deflate</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.websocket__ping_callback">ping_callback</link></member>
-            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.websocket__read_message_max">read_message_max</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.websocket__write_buffer_size">write_buffer_size</link></member>
           </simplelist>
           <bridgehead renderas="sect3">Constants</bridgehead>
diff --git a/examples/websocket_echo.cpp b/examples/websocket_echo.cpp
index 524d83d3..7ed6808d 100644
--- a/examples/websocket_echo.cpp
+++ b/examples/websocket_echo.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public:
     {
         ws.auto_fragment(false);
         ws.set_option(pmd_);
-        ws.set_option(beast::websocket::read_message_max{64 * 1024 * 1024});
+        ws.read_message_max(64 * 1024 * 1024);
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/include/beast/websocket/option.hpp b/include/beast/websocket/option.hpp
index 75ade538..f68d3631 100644
--- a/include/beast/websocket/option.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/websocket/option.hpp
@@ -124,41 +124,6 @@ struct ping_callback
 };
 #endif
 
-/** Maximum incoming message size option.
-
-    Sets the largest permissible incoming message size. Message
-    frame fields indicating a size that would bring the total
-    message size over this limit will cause a protocol failure.
-
-    The default setting is 16 megabytes. A value of zero indicates
-    a limit of the maximum value of a `std::uint64_t`.
-
-    @note Objects of this type are used with
-          @ref beast::websocket::stream::set_option.
-
-    @par Example
-    Setting the maximum read message size.
-    @code
-    ...
-    websocket::stream<ip::tcp::socket> ws(ios);
-    ws.set_option(read_message_max{65536});
-    @endcode
-*/
-#if BEAST_DOXYGEN
-using read_message_max = implementation_defined;
-#else
-struct read_message_max
-{
-    std::size_t value;
-
-    explicit
-    read_message_max(std::size_t n)
-        : value(n)
-    {
-    }
-};
-#endif
-
 /** Write buffer size option.
 
     Sets the size of the write buffer used by the implementation to
diff --git a/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp b/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp
index 7a90f12f..ae3928e1 100644
--- a/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp
@@ -263,13 +263,6 @@ public:
         ping_cb_ = std::move(o.value);
     }
 
-    /// Set the maximum incoming message size allowed
-    void
-    set_option(read_message_max const& o)
-    {
-        rd_msg_max_ = o.value;
-    }
-
     /// Set the size of the write buffer
     void
     set_option(write_buffer_size const& o)
@@ -377,6 +370,36 @@ public:
         return rd_buf_size_;
     }
 
+    /** Set the maximum incoming message size option.
+
+        Sets the largest permissible incoming message size. Message
+        frame fields indicating a size that would bring the total
+        message size over this limit will cause a protocol failure.
+
+        The default setting is 16 megabytes. A value of zero indicates
+        a limit of the maximum value of a `std::uint64_t`.
+
+        @par Example
+        Setting the maximum read message size.
+        @code
+            ws.read_message_max(65536);
+        @endcode
+
+        @param n The limit on the size of incoming messages.
+    */
+    void
+    read_message_max(std::size_t n)
+    {
+        rd_msg_max_ = n;
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the maximum incoming message size setting.
+    std::size_t
+    read_message_max() const
+    {
+        return rd_msg_max_;
+    }
+
     /** Returns the close reason received from the peer.
 
         This is only valid after a read completes with error::closed.
diff --git a/test/websocket/stream.cpp b/test/websocket/stream.cpp
index 88737c90..30f86599 100644
--- a/test/websocket/stream.cpp
+++ b/test/websocket/stream.cpp
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ public:
         ws.set_option(write_buffer_size{2048});
         ws.binary(false);
         ws.read_buffer_size(8192);
-        ws.set_option(read_message_max{1 * 1024 * 1024});
+        ws.read_message_max(1 * 1024 * 1024);
         try
         {
             ws.set_option(write_buffer_size{7});
@@ -1815,10 +1815,10 @@ public:
                     restart(error::closed);
 
                     // message size exceeds max
-                    ws.set_option(read_message_max{1});
+                    ws.read_message_max(1);
                     c.write(ws, cbuf(0x00, 0x00));
                     restart(error::failed);
-                    ws.set_option(read_message_max{16*1024*1024});
+                    ws.read_message_max(16*1024*1024);
                 }
             }
             catch(system_error const&)