diff --git a/src/control/server/engine/config.go b/src/control/server/engine/config.go
index 7d9b626dae75..8eb35f1e792f 100644
--- a/src/control/server/engine/config.go
+++ b/src/control/server/engine/config.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ const (
 	envLogDbgStreams = "DD_MASK"
 	envLogSubsystems = "DD_SUBSYS"
 
-	MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM = 18432
+	MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM = 184320
 )
 
 // FabricConfig encapsulates networking fabric configuration.
@@ -349,13 +349,18 @@ func (c *Config) Validate() error {
 	// ensure 18k ABT stack size for engine with DCPM storage class
 	if c.Storage.Tiers[0].IsSCM() && c.Storage.Tiers[0].Class == storage.ClassDcpm {
 		stacksize, err := c.GetEnvVar("ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE")
-		if err == nil {
-			i, err := strconv.Atoi(stacksize)
-			if err == nil && i >= MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM {
-				return nil
+		if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+			fmt.Printf("env_var ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE set to %d for `dcpm` storage class\n",
+				MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM)
+			c.EnvVars = append(c.EnvVars, fmt.Sprintf("ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE=%d",
+				MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM))
+		} else {
+			i, err1 := strconv.Atoi(stacksize)
+			if err != nil || err1 != nil || i < MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM {
+				return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("env_var ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE should >= %d for `dcpm` storage class",
+					MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM))
 			}
 		}
-		return errors.Errorf("env_var ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE=%d is required for `dcpm` storage class", MIN_ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE_FOR_DCPM)
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/utils/config/examples/daos_server_tcp.yml b/utils/config/examples/daos_server_tcp.yml
index 93ab8e246a85..635abe89dce6 100644
--- a/utils/config/examples/daos_server_tcp.yml
+++ b/utils/config/examples/daos_server_tcp.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ engines:
     env_vars:                 # influence DAOS I/O Engine behavior by setting env variables
       - FI_SOCKETS_MAX_CONN_RETRY=1
       - FI_SOCKETS_CONN_TIMEOUT=2000
-      - ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE=18432
 
     # Storage definitions (one per tier)
     storage:
diff --git a/utils/config/examples/daos_server_ucx.yml b/utils/config/examples/daos_server_ucx.yml
index 7eb3e9c239d3..bdd35a4c647a 100644
--- a/utils/config/examples/daos_server_ucx.yml
+++ b/utils/config/examples/daos_server_ucx.yml
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ engines:
     log_mask: ERR
     log_file: /tmp/daos_engine.0.log
 
-    env_vars:
-      - ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE=18432
-
     # Storage definitions (one per tier)
     storage:
       -
diff --git a/utils/config/examples/daos_server_verbs.yml b/utils/config/examples/daos_server_verbs.yml
index 6fab9e9c991f..667992351fc3 100644
--- a/utils/config/examples/daos_server_verbs.yml
+++ b/utils/config/examples/daos_server_verbs.yml
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@ engines:
     log_mask: ERR
     log_file: /tmp/daos_engine.0.log
 
-    env_vars:
-      - ABT_THREAD_STACKSIZE=18432
-
     # Storage definitions (one per tier)
     storage:
       -