diff --git a/java/README.md b/java/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e3fdc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Quick compilation and testing instructions
+```bash
+$ javac  -d out src/com/here/flexpolyline/PolylineEncoderDecoder*.java
+$ java -cp out com.here.flexpolyline.PolylineEncoderDecoderTest
+```
+to run the performance test with the default polyline length of 1000 vertices, or
+```bash
+$ java -cp out com.here.flexpolyline.PolylineEncoderDecoderTest $POLYLINE_LENGTH
+```
+to use `$POLYLINE_LENGTH` vertices for the performance test.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/java/src/com/here/flexpolyline/PolylineEncoderDecoderTest.java b/java/src/com/here/flexpolyline/PolylineEncoderDecoderTest.java
index bbbc347..4fa5232 100644
--- a/java/src/com/here/flexpolyline/PolylineEncoderDecoderTest.java
+++ b/java/src/com/here/flexpolyline/PolylineEncoderDecoderTest.java
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ private static <T extends Throwable> void assertThrows(Class<T> expectedType, Ru
     }
 
     public static void main(String[] args) {
-        final int DEFAULT_LINE_LENGTH = 100000;
+        final int DEFAULT_LINE_LENGTH = 1000;
         int lineLength = DEFAULT_LINE_LENGTH;
         if (args.length > 0) {
             lineLength = Integer.parseInt(args[0]);