diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/AbstractCharSequenceUtf8DataAccess.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/AbstractCharSequenceUtf8DataAccess.java
index 7b928b793..cea2023fa 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/AbstractCharSequenceUtf8DataAccess.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/AbstractCharSequenceUtf8DataAccess.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ abstract class AbstractCharSequenceUtf8DataAccess<T extends CharSequence> extend
     }
 
     private void initTransients() {
-        bytes = Bytes.allocateElasticDirect(1);
+        bytes = DefaultElasticBytes.allocateDefaultElasticBytes();
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/BytesMarshallableDataAccess.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/BytesMarshallableDataAccess.java
index a2bb0098d..4aec10627 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/BytesMarshallableDataAccess.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/BytesMarshallableDataAccess.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public class BytesMarshallableDataAccess<T extends BytesMarshallable>
     }
 
     private void initTransients() {
-        bytes = Bytes.allocateElasticDirect(1);
+        bytes = DefaultElasticBytes.allocateDefaultElasticBytes();
         targetBytes = VanillaBytes.vanillaBytes();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/DefaultElasticBytes.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/DefaultElasticBytes.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c20fe3079
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/DefaultElasticBytes.java
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+ *      Copyright (C) 2012, 2016  higherfrequencytrading.com
+ *      Copyright (C) 2016 Roman Leventov
+ *
+ *      This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *      it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ *      the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License.
+ *
+ *      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 Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *      You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ *      along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package net.openhft.chronicle.hash.serialization.impl;
+
+import net.openhft.chronicle.bytes.Bytes;
+
+final class DefaultElasticBytes {
+
+    public static Bytes<?> allocateDefaultElasticBytes() {
+        return Bytes.elasticHeapByteBuffer(32);
+    }
+
+    private DefaultElasticBytes() {}
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ExternalBytesMarshallableDataAccess.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ExternalBytesMarshallableDataAccess.java
index 3ef754b77..508d8636b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ExternalBytesMarshallableDataAccess.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ExternalBytesMarshallableDataAccess.java
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public class ExternalBytesMarshallableDataAccess<T> extends InstanceCreatingMars
     }
 
     private void initTransients() {
-        bytes = Bytes.allocateElasticDirect(1);
+        bytes = DefaultElasticBytes.allocateDefaultElasticBytes();
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SerializableDataAccess.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SerializableDataAccess.java
index e03b84d05..50747b875 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SerializableDataAccess.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SerializableDataAccess.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class SerializableDataAccess<T extends Serializable> extends AbstractData
     }
 
     void initTransients() {
-        bytes = Bytes.allocateElasticDirect(1);
+        bytes = DefaultElasticBytes.allocateDefaultElasticBytes();
         out = bytes.outputStream();
         in = bytes.inputStream();
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SizedMarshallableDataAccess.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SizedMarshallableDataAccess.java
index a7b14c8bd..31515db27 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SizedMarshallableDataAccess.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/SizedMarshallableDataAccess.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public class SizedMarshallableDataAccess<T> extends InstanceCreatingMarshaller<T
     }
 
     private void initTransients() {
-        bytes = Bytes.allocateElasticDirect(1);
+        bytes = DefaultElasticBytes.allocateDefaultElasticBytes();
         targetBytes = VanillaBytes.vanillaBytes();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ValueDataAccess.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ValueDataAccess.java
index c6e8a187d..0e48a76d6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ValueDataAccess.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/serialization/impl/ValueDataAccess.java
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 package net.openhft.chronicle.hash.serialization.impl;
 
-import net.openhft.chronicle.bytes.Byteable;
-import net.openhft.chronicle.bytes.RandomDataInput;
+import net.openhft.chronicle.bytes.*;
+import net.openhft.chronicle.core.Maths;
 import net.openhft.chronicle.hash.AbstractData;
 import net.openhft.chronicle.hash.Data;
 import net.openhft.chronicle.hash.serialization.DataAccess;
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import net.openhft.chronicle.wire.WireOut;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
-import static net.openhft.chronicle.bytes.NativeBytesStore.nativeStoreWithFixedCapacity;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 public class ValueDataAccess<T> extends AbstractData<T> implements DataAccess<T> {
 
@@ -68,8 +68,16 @@ public class ValueDataAccess<T> extends AbstractData<T> implements DataAccess<T>
         nativeInstanceAsCopyable = (Copyable) nativeInstance;
         nativeClass = (Class<? extends T>) nativeInstance.getClass();
         heapClass = Values.heapClassFor(valueType);
-        nativeInstance.bytesStore(nativeStoreWithFixedCapacity(nativeInstance.maxSize()),
-                0, nativeInstance.maxSize());
+        nativeInstance.bytesStore(allocateBytesStoreForInstance(), 0, nativeInstance.maxSize());
+    }
+
+    private BytesStore allocateBytesStoreForInstance() {
+        long instanceSize = nativeInstance.maxSize();
+        if (instanceSize > Bytes.MAX_BYTE_BUFFER_CAPACITY) {
+            return NativeBytesStore.nativeStoreWithFixedCapacity(instanceSize);
+        } else {
+            return BytesStore.wrap(ByteBuffer.allocate(Maths.toUInt31(instanceSize)));
+        }
     }
 
     protected T createInstance() {