diff --git a/src/lightpanda.zig b/src/lightpanda.zig
index e51039aff..e2e58524a 100644
--- a/src/lightpanda.zig
+++ b/src/lightpanda.zig
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ pub const Config = @import("Config.zig");
 pub const cookies = @import("cookies.zig");
 pub const datetime = @import("datetime.zig");
 pub const core_dump = @import("core_dump.zig");
+pub const malloc_tuning = @import("malloc_tuning.zig");
 pub const ArenaPool = @import("ArenaPool.zig");
 pub const build_config = @import("build_config");
 pub const String = @import("string.zig").String;
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index a669571de..d5e5a7fba 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ pub fn main(init: std.process.Init) !void {
 
 fn run(allocator: Allocator, main_arena: Allocator, proc_args: std.process.Args) !void {
     lp.core_dump.disableIfRequested();
+    lp.malloc_tuning.apply();
     lp.crash_handler.attachSignalHandlers();
 
     const args = Config.parseArgs(main_arena, proc_args) catch |err| switch (err) {
diff --git a/src/malloc_tuning.zig b/src/malloc_tuning.zig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8dffa6622
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/malloc_tuning.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2023-2026  Lightpanda (Selecy SAS)
+//
+// Francis Bouvier <francis@lightpanda.io>
+// Pierre Tachoire <pierre@lightpanda.io>
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+// published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+// License, or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+//! glibc malloc tuning applied at startup.
+//!
+//! glibc raises its mmap threshold dynamically (up to 32MB) as large blocks
+//! are freed, so the MB-sized bursts a page can produce (response bodies,
+//! script sources) end up on the brk heap. Once freed, they stay stranded
+//! under live chunks and the process holds that memory until it exits.
+//! Pinning the threshold at 128KB keeps those blocks mmapped, and freeing them
+//! returns them to the OS.
+//!
+//! glibc's own `MALLOC_MMAP_THRESHOLD_` / `GLIBC_TUNABLES` remain the override:
+//! when either sets the threshold, it is left alone.
+
+const std = @import("std");
+const builtin = @import("builtin");
+const lp = @import("lightpanda.zig");
+
+const log = lp.log;
+
+const MMAP_THRESHOLD = 128 * 1024;
+
+// malloc.h
+const M_MMAP_THRESHOLD: c_int = -3;
+extern "c" fn mallopt(param: c_int, value: c_int) c_int;
+
+pub fn apply() void {
+    if (comptime (builtin.os.tag != .linux or builtin.abi.isGnu() == false)) {
+        return;
+    }
+    if (userConfigured()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    if (mallopt(M_MMAP_THRESHOLD, MMAP_THRESHOLD) == 0) {
+        log.warn(.app, "mallopt mmap_threshold failed", .{});
+    }
+}
+
+fn userConfigured() bool {
+    if (std.c.getenv("MALLOC_MMAP_THRESHOLD_") != null) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    const tunables = std.c.getenv("GLIBC_TUNABLES") orelse return false;
+    return std.mem.indexOf(u8, std.mem.span(tunables), "glibc.malloc.mmap_threshold") != null;
+}
+
+const testing = @import("testing.zig");
+extern fn setenv(name: [*:0]u8, value: [*:0]u8, override: c_int) c_int;
+extern fn unsetenv(name: [*:0]u8) c_int;
+
+test "malloc_tuning: glibc env overrides" {
+    _ = unsetenv(@constCast("MALLOC_MMAP_THRESHOLD_"));
+    _ = unsetenv(@constCast("GLIBC_TUNABLES"));
+    try testing.expectEqual(false, userConfigured());
+
+    _ = setenv(@constCast("GLIBC_TUNABLES"), @constCast("glibc.malloc.arena_max=2"), 1);
+    defer _ = unsetenv(@constCast("GLIBC_TUNABLES"));
+    try testing.expectEqual(false, userConfigured());
+
+    _ = setenv(@constCast("GLIBC_TUNABLES"), @constCast("glibc.malloc.arena_max=2:glibc.malloc.mmap_threshold=65536"), 1);
+    try testing.expectEqual(true, userConfigured());
+
+    _ = unsetenv(@constCast("GLIBC_TUNABLES"));
+    _ = setenv(@constCast("MALLOC_MMAP_THRESHOLD_"), @constCast("65536"), 1);
+    defer _ = unsetenv(@constCast("MALLOC_MMAP_THRESHOLD_"));
+    try testing.expectEqual(true, userConfigured());
+}