diff --git a/src/modules/dataman/dataman.c b/src/modules/dataman/dataman.c
index 7505ba3584..cbd9b2d7cd 100644
--- a/src/modules/dataman/dataman.c
+++ b/src/modules/dataman/dataman.c
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ typedef struct {
 	};
 } work_q_item_t;
 
+const size_t k_work_item_allocation_chunk_size = 8;
+
 /* Usage statistics */
 static unsigned g_func_counts[dm_number_of_funcs];
 
@@ -177,9 +179,20 @@ create_work_item(void)
 
 	unlock_queue(&g_free_q);
 
-	/* If we there weren't any free items then obtain memory for a new one */
-	if (item == NULL)
-		item = (work_q_item_t *)malloc(sizeof(work_q_item_t));
+	/* If we there weren't any free items then obtain memory for a new ones */
+	if (item == NULL) {
+		item = (work_q_item_t *)malloc(k_work_item_allocation_chunk_size * sizeof(work_q_item_t));
+		if (item) {
+			lock_queue(&g_free_q);
+			for (int i = 1; i < k_work_item_allocation_chunk_size; i++)
+				sq_addfirst(&(item + i)->link, &(g_free_q.q));
+			/* Update the queue size and potentially the maximum queue size */
+			g_free_q.size += k_work_item_allocation_chunk_size - 1;
+			if (g_free_q.size > g_free_q.max_size)
+				g_free_q.max_size = g_free_q.size;
+			unlock_queue(&g_free_q);
+		}
+	}
 
 	/* If we got one then lock the item*/
 	if (item)