diff --git a/lib/EnsEMBL/REST/Model/LDFeatureContainer.pm b/lib/EnsEMBL/REST/Model/LDFeatureContainer.pm
index f80c999ea386a3d03a91df3a36cfd2d092b1913b..7c317f41000e58b5e13df900ccba8586c64d95a5 100644
--- a/lib/EnsEMBL/REST/Model/LDFeatureContainer.pm
+++ b/lib/EnsEMBL/REST/Model/LDFeatureContainer.pm
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ sub fetch_LDFeatureContainer_variation_name {
   my $va = $c->model('Registry')->get_adaptor($species, 'Variation', 'Variation');
   my $ldfca = $c->model('Registry')->get_adaptor($species, 'Variation', 'LDFeatureContainer');
 
-  my $window_size = $c->request->param('window_size') || 1000; # default is 1MB
-  Catalyst::Exception->throw("window_size needs to be a value between 0 and 1000.") if (!looks_like_number($window_size));
-  Catalyst::Exception->throw("window_size needs to be a value between 0 and 1000.") if ($window_size > 1000);
-  Catalyst::Exception->throw("window_size needs to be a value between 0 and 1000.") if ($window_size < 0);
+  my $window_size = $c->request->param('window_size') || 500; # default is 500KB
+  Catalyst::Exception->throw("window_size needs to be a value between 0 and 500.") if (!looks_like_number($window_size));
+  Catalyst::Exception->throw("window_size needs to be a value between 0 and 500.") if ($window_size > 500);
+  Catalyst::Exception->throw("window_size needs to be a value between 0 and 500.") if ($window_size < 0);
   $window_size = floor($window_size);
   my $max_snp_distance = ($window_size / 2) * 1000;
   $ldfca->max_snp_distance($max_snp_distance);
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ sub fetch_LDFeatureContainer_variation_name {
 sub fetch_LDFeatureContainer_slice {
   my ($self, $slice) = @_;
   Catalyst::Exception->throw("No region given. Please specify a region to retrieve from this service.") if ! $slice;
-  Catalyst::Exception->throw("Specified region is too large. Maximum allowed size for region is 1Mb.") if ($slice->length > 1_000_000);
+  Catalyst::Exception->throw("Specified region is too large. Maximum allowed size for region is 500KB.") if ($slice->length > 500_000);
   my $c = $self->context();
   my $species = $c->stash->{species};
 
diff --git a/root/documentation/ld.conf b/root/documentation/ld.conf
index f6d11e7e13a273f42c1e1ce78a24d3a0179c2d17..f99b25083822b48425b344c257865d4974f55272 100644
--- a/root/documentation/ld.conf
+++ b/root/documentation/ld.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <endpoints>
   <ld_id_get>
-    description=Computes and returns LD values between the given variant and all other variants in a window centered around the given variant. The window size is set to 1000 kb.    
+    description=Computes and returns LD values between the given variant and all other variants in a window centered around the given variant. The window size is set to 500 kb.    
     endpoint=ld/:species/:id/:d_prime/:r2/:population_name/:window_size
     method=GET
     group=Linkage Disequilibrium
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
       </population_name>     
       <window_size>
         type=Integer
-        description=Window size in kb. The maximum allowed value for the window size is 1000 kb. LD is computed for the given variant and all variants that are located within the specified window.
-        default=1000
+        description=Window size in kb. The maximum allowed value for the window size is 500 kb. LD is computed for the given variant and all variants that are located within the specified window.
+        default=500
         example=__VAR(window_size)__
       </window_size>
     </params>        
diff --git a/t/ld.t b/t/ld.t
index 9a623a5f151bba6def7ea33a6b1b9347dafc82ce..d4c383c42925f3a569c38549bbf5f6a6fabfd5a2 100644
--- a/t/ld.t
+++ b/t/ld.t
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ $ld_get = '/ld/homo_sapiens/rs1333047?population_name=1000GENOMES:phase_1_ASW;d_
 $json = json_GET($ld_get, 'GET LD data for variant, population, d_prime and window_size');
 eq_or_diff($json, $expected_output, "Example variant, population, d_prime and window_size");
 
-$ld_get = '/ld/homo_sapiens/rs1333047?population_name=1000GENOMES:phase_1_ASW;d_prime=1.0;window_size=500.123';
+$ld_get = '/ld/homo_sapiens/rs1333047?population_name=1000GENOMES:phase_1_ASW;d_prime=1.0;window_size=499.123';
 $json = json_GET($ld_get, 'GET LD data for variant, population, d_prime and window_size');
 eq_or_diff($json, $expected_output, "Example variant, population, d_prime and window_size");