diff --git a/src/minibuf.c b/src/minibuf.c
index f957b2ae17..44852127ed 100644
--- a/src/minibuf.c
+++ b/src/minibuf.c
@@ -657,6 +657,8 @@ read_minibuf (Lisp_Object map, Lisp_Object initial, Lisp_Object prompt,
   if (STRINGP (input_method) && !NILP (Ffboundp (Qactivate_input_method)))
     call1 (Qactivate_input_method, input_method);
 
+  Vstart_display_at_beginning_of_minibuffer = Qnil;
+
   run_hook (Qminibuffer_setup_hook);
 
   /* Don't allow the user to undo past this point.  */
@@ -2097,6 +2099,15 @@ syms_of_minibuf (void)
 uses to hide passwords.  */);
   Vread_hide_char = Qnil;
 
+  DEFVAR_LISP ("start-display-at-beginning-of-minibuffer", Vstart_display_at_beginning_of_minibuffer,
+	       doc: /* Whether to preferably display the beginning of the minibuffer.
+When the mini-window is not large enough to display the complete minibuffer,
+the default behavior is to display the last part of the minibuffer and to
+hide its first part.  This variable reverses that behavior.  This variable
+is reset when the minibuffer is entered, and must be set in
+`minibuffer-setup-hook'.  */);
+  Vstart_display_at_beginning_of_minibuffer = Qnil;
+
   defsubr (&Sactive_minibuffer_window);
   defsubr (&Sset_minibuffer_window);
   defsubr (&Sread_from_minibuffer);
diff --git a/src/xdisp.c b/src/xdisp.c
index 49225c56fe..1b1a34b97f 100644
--- a/src/xdisp.c
+++ b/src/xdisp.c
@@ -11804,7 +11804,7 @@ resize_mini_window (struct window *w, bool exact_p)
 	}
 
       /* Compute a suitable window start.  */
-      if (height > max_height)
+      if (height > max_height && !EQ (Vstart_display_at_beginning_of_minibuffer, Qt))
 	{
 	  height = (max_height / unit) * unit;
 	  init_iterator (&it, w, ZV, ZV_BYTE, NULL, DEFAULT_FACE_ID);
@@ -11812,7 +11812,10 @@ resize_mini_window (struct window *w, bool exact_p)
 	  start = it.current.pos;
 	}
       else
-	SET_TEXT_POS (start, BEGV, BEGV_BYTE);
+	{
+	  if (height > max_height) height = (max_height / unit) * unit;
+	  SET_TEXT_POS (start, BEGV, BEGV_BYTE);
+	}
 
       SET_MARKER_FROM_TEXT_POS (w->start, start);