diff --git a/src/terminal/snapshot/snapshot.zig b/src/terminal/snapshot/snapshot.zig
index b2dfbe157..9c6dc96d4 100644
--- a/src/terminal/snapshot/snapshot.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/snapshot/snapshot.zig
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ pub fn encode(
     // Continuation errors must not emit even the snapshot envelope.
     try continuation.validate(options.continuation);
 
-    var stream: record.Writer = .init(alloc, destination);
+    // A measured 512-byte buffer handles our smallest records on the stack
+    // before larger records fall back to the heap.
+    var stack_alloc = std.heap.stackFallback(512, alloc);
+    var stream: record.Writer = .init(stack_alloc.get(), destination);
     defer stream.deinit();
 
     // 1. Envelope