diff --git a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.ts b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.ts
index 00b13311c2..5a50193072 100644
--- a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.ts
+++ b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ export const DEFAULT_BLOOM_FILTER_OPTIONS = {
   errorRate: 0.001
 };
 
+/**
+ * Maximum number of repair requests to include in a single message
+ */
+const MAX_REPAIR_REQUESTS_PER_MESSAGE = 3;
+
 const DEFAULT_CAUSAL_HISTORY_SIZE = 200;
 const DEFAULT_POSSIBLE_ACKS_THRESHOLD = 2;
 
@@ -421,7 +426,9 @@ export class MessageChannel extends TypedEventEmitter<MessageChannelEvents> {
     this.lamportTimestamp = lamportTimestampIncrement(this.lamportTimestamp);
 
     // Get repair requests to include in sync message (SDS-R)
-    const repairRequests = this.repairManager.getRepairRequests(3);
+    const repairRequests = this.repairManager.getRepairRequests(
+      MAX_REPAIR_REQUESTS_PER_MESSAGE
+    );
 
     const message = new SyncMessage(
       // does not need to be secure randomness
@@ -641,7 +648,9 @@ export class MessageChannel extends TypedEventEmitter<MessageChannelEvents> {
       log.info(this.senderId, "sending new message", messageId);
 
       // Get repair requests to include in the message (SDS-R)
-      const repairRequests = this.repairManager.getRepairRequests(3);
+      const repairRequests = this.repairManager.getRepairRequests(
+        MAX_REPAIR_REQUESTS_PER_MESSAGE
+      );
 
       message = new ContentMessage(
         messageId,
diff --git a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/repair/repair.ts b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/repair/repair.ts
index e833015213..d099cff68d 100644
--- a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/repair/repair.ts
+++ b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/repair/repair.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ import {
 
 const log = new Logger("sds:repair:manager");
 
+/**
+ * Per SDS-R spec: One response group per 128 participants
+ */
+const PARTICIPANTS_PER_RESPONSE_GROUP = 128;
+
 /**
  * Event emitter callback for repair events
  */
@@ -42,7 +47,7 @@ export interface RepairConfig {
 export const DEFAULT_REPAIR_CONFIG: Required<RepairConfig> = {
   tMin: 30000, // 30 seconds
   tMax: 120000, // 120 seconds
-  numResponseGroups: 1, // Recommendation is 1 group per 128 participants
+  numResponseGroups: 1, // Recommendation is 1 group per PARTICIPANTS_PER_RESPONSE_GROUP participants
   bufferSize: 1000,
   enabled: true
 };
@@ -332,10 +337,10 @@ export class RepairManager {
       numParticipants = Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
     }
 
-    // Per spec: num_response_groups = max(1, num_participants / 128)
+    // Per spec: num_response_groups = max(1, num_participants / PARTICIPANTS_PER_RESPONSE_GROUP)
     this.config.numResponseGroups = Math.max(
       1,
-      Math.floor(numParticipants / 128)
+      Math.floor(numParticipants / PARTICIPANTS_PER_RESPONSE_GROUP)
     );
     log.info(
       `Updated response groups to ${this.config.numResponseGroups} for ${numParticipants} participants`