diff --git a/datasette/templates/query.html b/datasette/templates/query.html
index cee779fc..a35e3afe 100644
--- a/datasette/templates/query.html
+++ b/datasette/templates/query.html
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@
     {% endif %}
     {% if not hide_sql %}
         {% if editable and allow_execute_sql %}
-            <p><textarea id="sql-editor" name="sql">{% if query and query.sql %}{{ query.sql }}{% else %}select * from {{ tables[0].name|escape_sqlite }}{% endif %}</textarea></p>
+            <p><textarea id="sql-editor" name="sql"{% if query and query.sql %} style="height: {{ query.sql.split("\n")|length + 2 }}em"{% endif %}
+            >{% if query and query.sql %}{{ query.sql }}{% else %}select * from {{ tables[0].name|escape_sqlite }}{% endif %}</textarea></p>
         {% else %}
             <pre id="sql-query">{% if query %}{{ query.sql }}{% endif %}</pre>
         {% endif %}
diff --git a/tests/test_html.py b/tests/test_html.py
index 409fec68..be21bd84 100644
--- a/tests/test_html.py
+++ b/tests/test_html.py
@@ -695,10 +695,8 @@ def test_query_error(app_client):
     response = app_client.get("/fixtures?sql=select+*+from+notatable")
     html = response.text
     assert '<p class="message-error">no such table: notatable</p>' in html
-    assert (
-        '<textarea id="sql-editor" name="sql">select * from notatable</textarea>'
-        in html
-    )
+    assert '<textarea id="sql-editor" name="sql" style="height: 3em' in html
+    assert ">select * from notatable</textarea>" in html
     assert "0 results" not in html