Index: bp-activity/bp-activity-filters.php
===================================================================
--- bp-activity/bp-activity-filters.php	(revision 1547696)
+++ bp-activity/bp-activity-filters.php	(working copy)
@@ -450,14 +450,7 @@
 	 */
 	$append_text    = apply_filters( 'bp_activity_excerpt_append_text', __( '[Read more]', 'buddypress' ) );
 
-	/**
-	 * Filters the excerpt length for the activity excerpt.
-	 *
-	 * @since 1.5.0
-	 *
-	 * @param int $value Number indicating how many words to trim the excerpt down to.
-	 */
-	$excerpt_length = apply_filters( 'bp_activity_excerpt_length', 358 );
+	$excerpt_length = bp_activity_get_excerpt_length();
 
 	$args = wp_parse_args( $args, array( 'ending' => __( '…', 'buddypress' ) ) );
 
Index: bp-activity/bp-activity-template.php
===================================================================
--- bp-activity/bp-activity-template.php	(revision 1547696)
+++ bp-activity/bp-activity-template.php	(working copy)
@@ -2697,7 +2697,7 @@
 		 * @param string $value   The excerpt for the latest update.
 		 * @param int    $user_id ID of the queried user.
 		 */
-		$latest_update = apply_filters( 'bp_get_activity_latest_update_excerpt', trim( strip_tags( bp_create_excerpt( $update['content'], 358 ) ) ), $user_id );
+		$latest_update = apply_filters( 'bp_get_activity_latest_update_excerpt', trim( strip_tags( bp_create_excerpt( $update['content'], bp_activity_get_excerpt_length() ) ) ), $user_id );
 
 		$latest_update = sprintf(
 			'%s <a href="%s">%s</a>',
Index: bp-core/bp-core-template.php
===================================================================
--- bp-core/bp-core-template.php	(revision 1547696)
+++ bp-core/bp-core-template.php	(working copy)
@@ -840,6 +840,26 @@
 	}
 
 /**
+ * Get excerpt length for the activity.
+ *
+ * @since 2.8.0
+ *
+ * @return int Number indicating how many words to trim the excerpt down to.
+ */
+function bp_activity_get_excerpt_length() {
+
+	/**
+	 * Filters the excerpt length for the activity excerpt.
+	 *
+	 * @since 2.8.0
+	 *
+	 * @param int $value Number indicating how many words to trim the excerpt down to.
+	 */
+	return apply_filters( 'bp_activity_excerpt_length', 358 );
+
+}
+
+/**
  * Truncate text.
  *
  * Cuts a string to the length of $length and replaces the last characters