diff --git a/sys/boot/common/interp_forth.c b/sys/boot/common/interp_forth.c
index b53da434f30a..1c37e2b0bebe 100644
--- a/sys/boot/common/interp_forth.c
+++ b/sys/boot/common/interp_forth.c
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ extern char bootprog_rev[];
  */
 #define BF_PARSE 100
 
+/*
+ * FreeBSD loader default dictionary cells
+ */
+#ifndef	BF_DICTSIZE
+#define	BF_DICTSIZE	10000
+#endif
+
 /*
  * BootForth   Interface to Ficl Forth interpreter.
  */
@@ -239,8 +246,8 @@ bf_init(void)
     struct bootblk_command	**cmdp;
     char create_buf[41];	/* 31 characters-long builtins */
     int fd;
-   
-    bf_sys = ficlInitSystem(10000);	/* Default dictionary ~4000 cells */
+
+    bf_sys = ficlInitSystem(BF_DICTSIZE);
     bf_vm = ficlNewVM(bf_sys);
 
     /* Put all private definitions in a "builtins" vocabulary */
diff --git a/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/Makefile b/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/Makefile
index bc0a30982737..a4bec5c22e99 100644
--- a/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/Makefile
+++ b/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/Makefile
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ CLEANFILES=	vers.c
 .if ${MK_FORTH} != "no"
 BOOT_FORTH=	yes
 CFLAGS+=        -DBOOT_FORTH -I${.CURDIR}/../../ficl -I${.CURDIR}/../../ficl/i386
+CFLAGS+=	-DBF_DICTSIZE=15000
 LIBFICL=	${.OBJDIR}/../ficl/libficl.a
 LIBSTAND=	${.OBJDIR}/../libstand/libstand.a
 .endif
diff --git a/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/main.c b/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/main.c
index b9b133720e7c..39f6012e16bc 100644
--- a/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/main.c
+++ b/sys/boot/userboot/userboot/main.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ exit(int v)
 void
 loader_main(struct loader_callbacks *cb, void *arg, int version, int ndisks)
 {
-	static char malloc[512*1024];
+	static char malloc[1024*1024];
 	const char *var;
 	int i;
 
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ loader_main(struct loader_callbacks *cb, void *arg, int version, int ndisks)
 	 * alloc() is usable. The stack is buried inside us, so this is
 	 * safe.
 	 */
-	setheap((void *)malloc, (void *)(malloc + 512*1024));
+	setheap((void *)malloc, (void *)(malloc + 1024*1024));
 
         /*
          * Hook up the console