diff --git a/question/type/essay/edit_essay_form.php b/question/type/essay/edit_essay_form.php
index 975d9d17030..2109827cb33 100644
--- a/question/type/essay/edit_essay_form.php
+++ b/question/type/essay/edit_essay_form.php
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class qtype_essay_edit_form extends question_edit_form {
 
         $mform->addElement('select', 'responsefieldlines',
                 get_string('responsefieldlines', 'qtype_essay'), $qtype->response_sizes());
-        $mform->setDefault('responsefieldlines', 15);
+        $mform->setDefault('responsefieldlines', 10);
         $mform->hideIf('responsefieldlines', 'responseformat', 'eq', 'noinline');
 
         // Create a text box that can be enabled/disabled for max/min word limits options.
diff --git a/question/type/essay/questiontype.php b/question/type/essay/questiontype.php
index 4851b29fe0c..b39fc3e41e0 100644
--- a/question/type/essay/questiontype.php
+++ b/question/type/essay/questiontype.php
@@ -136,7 +136,10 @@ class qtype_essay extends question_type {
      * @return array the choices that should be offered for the input box size.
      */
     public function response_sizes() {
-        $choices = array();
+        $choices = [
+            2 => get_string('nlines', 'qtype_essay', 2),
+            3 => get_string('nlines', 'qtype_essay', 3),
+        ];
         for ($lines = 5; $lines <= 40; $lines += 5) {
             $choices[$lines] = get_string('nlines', 'qtype_essay', $lines);
         }