diff --git a/src/unix/stream.c b/src/unix/stream.c
index 194dfba0..18763b47 100644
--- a/src/unix/stream.c
+++ b/src/unix/stream.c
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ static void uv__read(uv_stream_t* stream) {
     assert(stream->alloc_cb != NULL);
 
     buf = uv_buf_init(NULL, 0);
-    stream->alloc_cb((uv_handle_t*)stream, UV_SPAWN_BUFFER_SIZE, &buf);
+    stream->alloc_cb((uv_handle_t*)stream, 64 * 1024, &buf);
     if (buf.base == NULL || buf.len == 0) {
       /* User indicates it can't or won't handle the read. */
       stream->read_cb(stream, UV_ENOBUFS, &buf);