diff --git a/.changelog/18524.txt b/.changelog/18524.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2f3a7d6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/18524.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:improvement
+template: reduce memory usage associated with communicating with the Nomad API
+```
diff --git a/helper/bufconndialer/bufconndialer.go b/helper/bufconndialer/bufconndialer.go
index ea5fe40f7..5d9b5512a 100644
--- a/helper/bufconndialer/bufconndialer.go
+++ b/helper/bufconndialer/bufconndialer.go
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ type BufConnWrapper struct {
 // New returns a new BufConnWrapper with a new bufconn.Listener. The wrapper
 // provides a dialer for creating connections to the listener.
 func New() (net.Listener, *BufConnWrapper) {
-	ln := bufconn.Listen(1024 * 1024)
+	// this buffer is sized to accept a maximum-sized Nomad Variable payload
+	// (64k) with plenty of room to spare for the metadata and envelope, in a
+	// single read
+	ln := bufconn.Listen(1024 * 100)
 	return ln, &BufConnWrapper{listener: ln}
 }