diff --git a/lib/utils/text-utils.js b/lib/utils/text-utils.js
--- a/lib/utils/text-utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils/text-utils.js
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@
   if (text.length <= maxLength) {
     return text;
   }
-  return text.substr(0, maxLength - 3) + '...';
+  if (maxLength <= 3) {
+    return text.substring(0, maxLength);
+  }
+  return `${text.substring(0, maxLength - 3)}...`;
 }
 
 function pluralizeAndTrim(
diff --git a/lib/utils/text-utils.test.js b/lib/utils/text-utils.test.js
--- a/lib/utils/text-utils.test.js
+++ b/lib/utils/text-utils.test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // @flow
 
-import { pluralize } from './text-utils.js';
+import { pluralize, trimText } from './text-utils.js';
 
 test('pluralize', () => {
   expect(pluralize([])).toBe('');
@@ -22,3 +22,56 @@
     'cat, dog, sheep, and moose',
   );
 });
+
+test('trimText', () => {
+  expect(trimText('', 0)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('', 1)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('', 2)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('', 3)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('', 4)).toBe('');
+
+  expect(trimText('a', 0)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('a', 0).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(0);
+  expect(trimText('a', 1)).toBe('a');
+  expect(trimText('a', 1).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+  expect(trimText('a', 2)).toBe('a');
+  expect(trimText('a', 2).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2);
+  expect(trimText('a', 3)).toBe('a');
+  expect(trimText('a', 3).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(3);
+  expect(trimText('a', 4)).toBe('a');
+  expect(trimText('a', 4).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(4);
+
+  expect(trimText('ab', 0)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('ab', 0).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(0);
+  expect(trimText('ab', 1)).toBe('a');
+  expect(trimText('ab', 1).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+  expect(trimText('ab', 2)).toBe('ab');
+  expect(trimText('ab', 2).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2);
+  expect(trimText('ab', 3)).toBe('ab');
+  expect(trimText('ab', 3).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(3);
+  expect(trimText('ab', 4)).toBe('ab');
+  expect(trimText('ab', 4).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(4);
+
+  expect(trimText('abc', 0)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('abc', 0).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(0);
+  expect(trimText('abc', 1)).toBe('a');
+  expect(trimText('abc', 1).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+  expect(trimText('abc', 2)).toBe('ab');
+  expect(trimText('abc', 2).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2);
+  expect(trimText('abc', 3)).toBe('abc');
+  expect(trimText('abc', 3).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(3);
+  expect(trimText('abc', 4)).toBe('abc');
+  expect(trimText('abc', 4).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(4);
+
+  expect(trimText('the quick brown fox jumps', 0)).toBe('');
+  expect(trimText('the quick brown fox jumps', 1)).toBe('t');
+  expect(trimText('the quick brown fox jumps', 2)).toBe('th');
+  expect(trimText('the quick brown fox jumps', 3)).toBe('the');
+  expect(trimText('the quick brown fox jumps', 4)).toBe('t...');
+  expect(trimText('the quick brown fox jumps', 25)).toBe(
+    'the quick brown fox jumps',
+  );
+  expect(trimText('the quick brown fox jumps', 400)).toBe(
+    'the quick brown fox jumps',
+  );
+});