diff --git a/cartographer/mapping/map_builder.cc b/cartographer/mapping/map_builder.cc
index b3303dc..2648f43 100644
--- a/cartographer/mapping/map_builder.cc
+++ b/cartographer/mapping/map_builder.cc
@@ -127,7 +127,10 @@ int MapBuilder::AddTrajectoryBuilder(
           trajectory_options.overlapping_submaps_trimmer_2d();
       pose_graph_->AddTrimmer(common::make_unique<OverlappingSubmapsTrimmer2D>(
           trimmer_options.fresh_submaps_count(),
-          trimmer_options.min_covered_cells_count()));
+          trimmer_options.min_covered_area() /
+              common::Pow2(trajectory_options.trajectory_builder_2d_options()
+                               .submaps_options()
+                               .resolution())));
     }
   }
   if (trajectory_options.pure_localization()) {
diff --git a/cartographer/mapping/proto/trajectory_builder_options.proto b/cartographer/mapping/proto/trajectory_builder_options.proto
index 13873d1..ab42a5d 100644
--- a/cartographer/mapping/proto/trajectory_builder_options.proto
+++ b/cartographer/mapping/proto/trajectory_builder_options.proto
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ message TrajectoryBuilderOptions {
 
   message OverlappingSubmapsTrimmerOptions2D {
     int32 fresh_submaps_count = 1;
-    int32 min_covered_cells_count = 2;
+    double min_covered_area = 2;
   }
   OverlappingSubmapsTrimmerOptions2D overlapping_submaps_trimmer_2d = 5;
 }
diff --git a/cartographer/mapping/trajectory_builder_interface.cc b/cartographer/mapping/trajectory_builder_interface.cc
index a64dc10..cd689e0 100644
--- a/cartographer/mapping/trajectory_builder_interface.cc
+++ b/cartographer/mapping/trajectory_builder_interface.cc
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ void PopulateOverlappingSubmapsTrimmerOptions2D(
       trajectory_builder_options->mutable_overlapping_submaps_trimmer_2d();
   options->set_fresh_submaps_count(
       options_dictionary->GetInt("fresh_submaps_count"));
-  options->set_min_covered_cells_count(
-      options_dictionary->GetInt("min_covered_cells_count"));
+  options->set_min_covered_area(
+      options_dictionary->GetDouble("min_covered_area"));
 }
 
 }  // namespace