diff --git a/core/modules/file/file.install b/core/modules/file/file.install
index 3ca855e..2cbd94a 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/file.install
+++ b/core/modules/file/file.install
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ function file_schema() {
       'module' => array(
         'description' => 'The name of the module that is using the file.',
         'type' => 'varchar',
-        'length' => 255,
+        'length' => 40,
         'not null' => TRUE,
         'default' => '',
       ),
diff --git a/core/modules/menu_link/menu_link.install b/core/modules/menu_link/menu_link.install
index 1d80679..96ccd3a 100644
--- a/core/modules/menu_link/menu_link.install
+++ b/core/modules/menu_link/menu_link.install
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ function menu_link_schema() {
       'module' => array(
         'description' => 'The name of the module that generated this link.',
         'type' => 'varchar',
-        'length' => 255,
+        'length' => 40,
         'not null' => TRUE,
         'default' => 'system',
       ),
diff --git a/core/modules/node/node.install b/core/modules/node/node.install
index b0735d3..b357cfe 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/node.install
+++ b/core/modules/node/node.install
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ function node_schema() {
       'module' => array(
         'description' => 'The module defining this node type.',
         'type' => 'varchar',
-        'length' => 255,
+        'length' => 40,
         'not null' => TRUE,
       ),
       'description' => array(
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.install b/core/modules/user/user.install
index dca417c..6ca3733 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.install
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ function user_schema() {
       ),
       'module' => array(
         'type' => 'varchar',
-        'length' => 255,
+        'length' => 40,
         'not null' => TRUE,
         'default' => '',
         'description' => "The module declaring the permission.",
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ function user_schema() {
       'module' => array(
         'description' => 'The name of the module declaring the variable.',
         'type' => 'varchar',
-        'length' => 204,
+        'length' => 40,
         'not null' => TRUE,
         'default' => '',
       ),