diff --git a/spacy/ml/models/coref.py b/spacy/ml/models/coref.py
index fd36c84f7..86afb028a 100644
--- a/spacy/ml/models/coref.py
+++ b/spacy/ml/models/coref.py
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ def build_coref(
     hidden: int = 1000,
     dropout: float = 0.3,
     mention_limit: int = 3900,
+    #TODO this needs a better name. It limits the max mentions as a ratio of 
+    # the token count.
+    mention_limit_ratio: float = 0.4,
     max_span_width: int = 20,
+    antecedent_limit: int = 50
 ):
     dim = tok2vec.get_dim("nO") * 3
 
@@ -42,8 +46,8 @@ def build_coref(
             (tok2vec & noop())
             >> span_embedder
             >> (ms & noop())
-            >> build_coarse_pruner(mention_limit)
-            >> build_ant_scorer(bilinear, Dropout(dropout))
+            >> build_coarse_pruner(mention_limit, mention_limit_ratio)
+            >> build_ant_scorer(bilinear, Dropout(dropout), antecedent_limit)
         )
     return model
 
@@ -220,12 +224,14 @@ def span_embeddings_forward(
 
 def build_coarse_pruner(
     mention_limit: int,
+    mention_limit_ratio: float,
 ) -> Model[SpanEmbeddings, SpanEmbeddings]:
     model = Model(
         "CoarsePruner",
         forward=coarse_prune,
         attrs={
             "mention_limit": mention_limit,
+            "mention_limit_ratio": mention_limit_ratio,
         },
     )
     return model
@@ -241,6 +247,7 @@ def coarse_prune(
     rawscores, spanembeds = inputs
     scores = rawscores.flatten()
     mention_limit = model.attrs["mention_limit"]
+    mention_limit_ratio = model.attrs["mention_limit_ratio"]
     # XXX: Issue here. Don't need docs to find crossing spans, but might for the limits.
     # In old code the limit can be:
     # - hard number per doc
@@ -258,8 +265,11 @@ def coarse_prune(
         starts = spanembeds.indices[offset:hi, 0].tolist()
         ends = spanembeds.indices[offset:hi:, 1].tolist()
 
+        # calculate the doc length
+        doclen = ends[-1] - starts[0]
+        mlimit = min(mention_limit, int(mention_limit_ratio * doclen))
         # csel is a 1d integer list
-        csel = select_non_crossing_spans(tops, starts, ends, mention_limit)
+        csel = select_non_crossing_spans(tops, starts, ends, mlimit)
         # add the offset so these indices are absolute
         csel = [ii + offset for ii in csel]
         # this should be constant because short choices are padded
diff --git a/spacy/pipeline/coref.py b/spacy/pipeline/coref.py
index d065955c2..4caf02359 100644
--- a/spacy/pipeline/coref.py
+++ b/spacy/pipeline/coref.py
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ default_config = """
 @architectures = "spacy.Coref.v1"
 max_span_width = 20
 mention_limit = 3900
+mention_limit_ratio = 0.4
 dropout = 0.3
 hidden = 1000
+antecedent_limit = 50
 
 [model.get_mentions]
 @misc = "spacy.CorefCandidateGenerator.v1"