diff --git a/src/item.cpp b/src/item.cpp
index 968c7a38e8b03..9a850e0ca7783 100644
--- a/src/item.cpp
+++ b/src/item.cpp
@@ -4685,6 +4685,9 @@ units::length item::length() const
     if( made_of( LIQUID ) || is_soft() ) {
         return 0_mm;
     }
+    if( is_corpse() ) {
+        return units::default_length_from_volume<int>( corpse->volume );
+    }
     return type->longest_side;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/item_factory.cpp b/src/item_factory.cpp
index a84b7fc2cbc30..972ac81ac9823 100644
--- a/src/item_factory.cpp
+++ b/src/item_factory.cpp
@@ -450,7 +450,9 @@ void Item_factory::finalize_pre( itype &obj )
     }
 
     if( obj.longest_side == -1_mm ) {
-        obj.longest_side = units::cube_to_volume<int>( obj.volume );
+        units::volume effective_volume = obj.count_by_charges() ?
+                                         ( obj.volume / obj.stack_size ) : obj.volume;
+        obj.longest_side = units::default_length_from_volume<int>( effective_volume );
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/item_pocket.cpp b/src/item_pocket.cpp
index 678cb584d71d0..001632c507946 100644
--- a/src/item_pocket.cpp
+++ b/src/item_pocket.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void pocket_data::load( const JsonObject &jo )
         mandatory( jo, was_loaded, "max_contains_volume", volume_capacity, volume_reader() );
         mandatory( jo, was_loaded, "max_contains_weight", max_contains_weight, mass_reader() );
         optional( jo, was_loaded, "max_item_length", max_item_length,
-                  units::cube_to_volume( volume_capacity ) * M_SQRT2 );
+                  units::default_length_from_volume( volume_capacity ) * M_SQRT2 );
     }
     optional( jo, was_loaded, "spoil_multiplier", spoil_multiplier, 1.0f );
     optional( jo, was_loaded, "weight_multiplier", weight_multiplier, 1.0f );
diff --git a/src/units.h b/src/units.h
index 5a105d8c28b14..6634348d224a9 100644
--- a/src/units.h
+++ b/src/units.h
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ inline constexpr value_type to_kilometer( const quantity<value_type, length_in_m
 
 // converts a volume as if it were a cube to the length of one side
 template<typename value_type>
-inline constexpr quantity<value_type, length_in_millimeter_tag> cube_to_volume(
+inline constexpr quantity<value_type, length_in_millimeter_tag> default_length_from_volume(
     const quantity<value_type, volume_in_milliliter_tag> &v )
 {
     return units::from_centimeter<int>(
diff --git a/tests/item_test.cpp b/tests/item_test.cpp
index 3707b5fe01fd0..6eb133a788652 100644
--- a/tests/item_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/item_test.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include <cmath>
 #include <initializer_list>
 #include <limits>
 #include <memory>
@@ -6,7 +7,9 @@
 #include "catch/catch.hpp"
 #include "enums.h"
 #include "item.h"
+#include "item_factory.h"
 #include "itype.h"
+#include "monstergenerator.h"
 #include "ret_val.h"
 #include "units.h"
 #include "value_ptr.h"
@@ -157,3 +160,46 @@ TEST_CASE( "stacking_over_time", "[item]" )
         }
     }
 }
+
+static void assert_minimum_length_to_volume_ratio( const item &target )
+{
+    if( target.type->get_id() == "null" ) {
+        return;
+    }
+    CAPTURE( target.type->get_id() );
+    CAPTURE( target.volume() );
+    CAPTURE( target.base_volume() );
+    CAPTURE( target.type->volume );
+    if( target.made_of( LIQUID ) || target.is_soft() ) {
+        CHECK( target.length() == 0_mm );
+        return;
+    }
+    if( target.volume() == 0_ml ) {
+        CHECK( target.length() == -1_mm );
+        return;
+    }
+    if( target.volume() == 1_ml ) {
+        CHECK( target.length() >= 0_mm );
+        return;
+    }
+    // Minimum possible length is if the item is a sphere.
+    const float minimal_diameter = std::cbrt( ( 3.0 * units::to_milliliter( target.base_volume() ) ) /
+                                   ( 4.0 * M_PI ) );
+    CHECK( units::to_millimeter( target.length() ) >= minimal_diameter * 10.0 );
+}
+
+TEST_CASE( "item length sanity check", "[item]" )
+{
+    for( const itype *type : item_controller->all() ) {
+        const item sample( type, 0, item::solitary_tag {} );
+        assert_minimum_length_to_volume_ratio( sample );
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE( "corpse length sanity check", "[item]" )
+{
+    for( const mtype &type : MonsterGenerator::generator().get_all_mtypes() ) {
+        const item sample = item::make_corpse( type.id );
+        assert_minimum_length_to_volume_ratio( sample );
+    }
+}