diff --git a/qutebrowser/completion/completer.py b/qutebrowser/completion/completer.py
index efd6b3490..eaf74f959 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/completion/completer.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/completion/completer.py
@@ -196,14 +196,25 @@ class Completer(QObject):
 
         For performance reasons we don't want to block here, instead we do this
         in the background.
+
+        We delay the update only if we've already input some text and ignore
+        updates if the text is shorter than completion.min_chars (unless we're
+        hitting backspace in which case updates won't be ignored).
         """
-        if (self._cmd.cursorPosition() == self._last_cursor_pos and
+        _cmd, _sep, rest = self._cmd.text().partition(' ')
+        input_length = len(rest)
+        if (0 < input_length < config.val.completion.min_chars and
+                self._cmd.cursorPosition() > self._last_cursor_pos):
+            log.completion.debug("Ignoring update because the length of "
+                                 "the text is less than completion.min_chars.")
+        elif (self._cmd.cursorPosition() == self._last_cursor_pos and
                 self._cmd.text() == self._last_text):
             log.completion.debug("Ignoring update because there were no "
                                  "changes.")
         else:
             log.completion.debug("Scheduling completion update.")
-            self._timer.start()
+            start_delay = config.val.completion.delay if self._last_text else 0
+            self._timer.start(start_delay)
         self._last_cursor_pos = self._cmd.cursorPosition()
         self._last_text = self._cmd.text()
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
index f4b484dbc..700dd4ddd 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
@@ -678,6 +678,20 @@ completion.web_history_max_items:
 
     0: no history / -1: unlimited
 
+completion.delay:
+  default: 0
+  type:
+    name: Int
+    minval: 0
+  desc: Delay in ms before updating completions after typing a character
+
+completion.min_chars:
+  default: 1
+  type:
+    name: Int
+    minval: 1
+  desc: Minimum amount of characters needed to update completions
+
 ## downloads
 
 downloads.location.directory:
diff --git a/tests/helpers/stubs.py b/tests/helpers/stubs.py
index 1313649bc..c6f97b774 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/stubs.py
+++ b/tests/helpers/stubs.py
@@ -378,7 +378,9 @@ class FakeTimer(QObject):
     def isSingleShot(self):
         return self._singleshot
 
-    def start(self):
+    def start(self, interval=None):
+        if interval:
+            self._interval = interval
         self._started = True
 
     def stop(self):
@@ -397,7 +399,7 @@ class InstaTimer(QObject):
 
     timeout = pyqtSignal()
 
-    def start(self):
+    def start(self, interval=None):
         self.timeout.emit()
 
     def setSingleShot(self, yes):