diff --git a/.github/workflows/r-valgrind.yaml b/.github/workflows/r-valgrind.yaml
index 2ea43c229a..6a84c0d235 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/r-valgrind.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/r-valgrind.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   _R_CHECK_TESTS_NLINES_: 0
+  TILEDB_SOMA_INIT_BUFFER_BYTES: 33554432 # accommodate tiny runners
 
 jobs:
   r-valgrind: