diff --git a/bin/main.c b/bin/main.c
index 8cb7429..956623d 100644
--- a/bin/main.c
+++ b/bin/main.c
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 	if (opt.ind >= argc) goto print_usage;
 #endif
 
-	hcl = hcl_openstd(HCL_SIZEOF(xtn_t), heapsize, HCL_NULL);
+	hcl = hcl_openstd(HCL_SIZEOF(xtn_t), HCL_NULL);
 	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!hcl))
 	{
 		printf ("ERROR: cannot open hcl\n");
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 	}
 #endif
 
-	if (hcl_ignite(hcl) <= -1)
+	if (hcl_ignite(hcl, heapsize) <= -1)
 	{
 		hcl_logbfmt (hcl, HCL_LOG_STDERR, "cannot ignite hcl - [%d] %js\n", hcl_geterrnum(hcl), hcl_geterrmsg(hcl));
 		goto oops;
diff --git a/lib/gc.c b/lib/gc.c
index 6c49142..321b97d 100644
--- a/lib/gc.c
+++ b/lib/gc.c
@@ -736,13 +736,13 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_shallowcopy (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t oop)
 /* ========================================================================= */
 
 
-int hcl_ignite (hcl_t* hcl)
+int hcl_ignite (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oow_t heapsize)
 {
 	hcl_oow_t i;
 
 	if (!hcl->heap)
 	{
-		hcl->heap = hcl_makeheap(hcl, hcl->_reqheapsz);
+		hcl->heap = hcl_makeheap(hcl, heapsize);
 		if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!hcl->heap)) return -1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/hcl-c.c b/lib/hcl-c.c
index 12ba9e5..e536fc9 100644
--- a/lib/hcl-c.c
+++ b/lib/hcl-c.c
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ hcl_client_t* hcl_client_open (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_client_p
 		return HCL_NULL;
 	}
 
-	hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), 2048, errnum);
+	hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), errnum);
 	if (!hcl) 
 	{
 		HCL_MMGR_FREE (mmgr, client);
diff --git a/lib/hcl-s.c b/lib/hcl-s.c
index a5161b2..75ade33 100644
--- a/lib/hcl-s.c
+++ b/lib/hcl-s.c
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ hcl_server_proto_t* hcl_server_proto_open (hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_server_worker_
 	proto->worker = worker;
 	proto->exec_runtime_event_index = HCL_TMR_INVALID_INDEX;
 
-	proto->hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(hcl_server_getmmgr(proto->worker->server), HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), worker->server->cfg.actor_heap_size, HCL_NULL);
+	proto->hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(hcl_server_getmmgr(proto->worker->server), HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), HCL_NULL);
 	if (!proto->hcl) goto oops;
 
 	/* replace the vmprim.log_write function */
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ hcl_server_proto_t* hcl_server_proto_open (hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_server_worker_
 	hclcb.vm_checkbc = vm_checkbc;
 	hcl_regcb (proto->hcl, &hclcb);
 
-	if (hcl_ignite(proto->hcl) <= -1) goto oops;
+	if (hcl_ignite(proto->hcl, worker->server->cfg.actor_heap_size) <= -1) goto oops;
 	if (hcl_addbuiltinprims(proto->hcl) <= -1) goto oops;
 
 	if (hcl_attachio(proto->hcl, read_handler, print_handler) <= -1) goto oops;
@@ -1508,7 +1508,7 @@ hcl_server_t* hcl_server_open (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_server_p
 		return HCL_NULL;
 	}
 
-	hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), 2048, errnum);
+	hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), errnum);
 	if (!hcl) goto oops;
 
 	/* replace the vmprim.log_write function */
diff --git a/lib/hcl.c b/lib/hcl.c
index 779e1bb..9d5c795 100644
--- a/lib/hcl.c
+++ b/lib/hcl.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include "hcl-prv.h"
 
 
-hcl_t* hcl_open (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_oow_t heapsize, const hcl_vmprim_t* vmprim, hcl_errnum_t* errnum)
+hcl_t* hcl_open (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, const hcl_vmprim_t* vmprim, hcl_errnum_t* errnum)
 {
 	hcl_t* hcl;
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ hcl_t* hcl_open (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_oow_t heapsize, const
 	hcl = (hcl_t*)HCL_MMGR_ALLOC(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(*hcl) + xtnsize);
 	if (hcl)
 	{
-		if (hcl_init(hcl, mmgr, heapsize, vmprim) <= -1)
+		if (hcl_init(hcl, mmgr, vmprim) <= -1)
 		{
 			if (errnum) *errnum = hcl->errnum;
 			HCL_MMGR_FREE (mmgr, hcl);
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static void free_heap (hcl_t* hcl, void* ptr)
 	hcl_freemem (hcl, ptr);
 }
 
-int hcl_init (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t heapsz, const hcl_vmprim_t* vmprim)
+int hcl_init (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, const hcl_vmprim_t* vmprim)
 {
 	int modtab_inited = 0;
 	int n;
@@ -157,9 +157,6 @@ int hcl_init (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t heapsz, const hcl_vmprim_t
 	hcl->proc_map_free_first = -1;
 	hcl->proc_map_free_last = -1;
 
-	/* remember the requested heap size. but push back the actuall heap creation to hcl_ignite() */
-	hcl->_reqheapsz = heapsz;
-
 	if (hcl->vmprim.dl_startup) hcl->vmprim.dl_startup (hcl);
 	return 0;
 
diff --git a/lib/hcl.h b/lib/hcl.h
index 497928d..2441f0e 100644
--- a/lib/hcl.h
+++ b/lib/hcl.h
@@ -1392,7 +1392,6 @@ struct hcl_t
 	} log;
 	/* ========================= */
 
-	hcl_oow_t _reqheapsz;
 	hcl_heap_t* heap;
 
 	/* ========================= */
@@ -1742,7 +1741,6 @@ extern "C" {
 HCL_EXPORT hcl_t* hcl_open (
 	hcl_mmgr_t*         mmgr,
 	hcl_oow_t           xtnsize,
-	hcl_oow_t           heapsize,
 	const hcl_vmprim_t* vmprim,
 	hcl_errnum_t*       errnum
 );
@@ -1750,13 +1748,11 @@ HCL_EXPORT hcl_t* hcl_open (
 HCL_EXPORT hcl_t* hcl_openstdwithmmgr (
 	hcl_mmgr_t*         mmgr,
 	hcl_oow_t           xtnsize,
-	hcl_oow_t           heapsize,
 	hcl_errnum_t*       errnum
 );
 
 HCL_EXPORT hcl_t* hcl_openstd (
 	hcl_oow_t           xtnsize,
-	hcl_oow_t           heapsize,
 	hcl_errnum_t*       errnum
 );
 
@@ -1767,7 +1763,6 @@ HCL_EXPORT void hcl_close (
 HCL_EXPORT int hcl_init (
 	hcl_t*              hcl,
 	hcl_mmgr_t*         mmgr,
-	hcl_oow_t           heapsize,
 	const hcl_vmprim_t* vmprim
 );
 
@@ -1935,19 +1930,20 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_moveoop (
 );
 
 HCL_EXPORT hcl_oop_t hcl_shallowcopy (
-	hcl_t*          hcl,
-	hcl_oop_t       oop
+	hcl_t*      hcl,
+	hcl_oop_t   oop
 );
 
 /**
  * The hcl_ignite() function creates key initial objects.
  */
 HCL_EXPORT int hcl_ignite (
-	hcl_t* hcl
+	hcl_t*      hcl,
+	hcl_oow_t   heapsize
 );
 
 HCL_EXPORT int hcl_addbuiltinprims (
-	hcl_t*         hcl
+	hcl_t*      hcl
 );
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/json.c b/lib/json.c
index cd09265..15ad684 100644
--- a/lib/json.c
+++ b/lib/json.c
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ hcl_json_t* hcl_json_open (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_json_prim_t*
 		return HCL_NULL;
 	}
 
-	hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), 2048, errnum);
+	hcl = hcl_openstdwithmmgr(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(*xtn), errnum);
 	if (!hcl) 
 	{
 		HCL_MMGR_FREE (mmgr, json);
diff --git a/lib/std.c b/lib/std.c
index 334c110..b8b0849 100644
--- a/lib/std.c
+++ b/lib/std.c
@@ -2922,7 +2922,7 @@ static void cb_vm_cleanup (hcl_t* hcl)
  * STANDARD HCL
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-hcl_t* hcl_openstdwithmmgr (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_oow_t heapsize, hcl_errnum_t* errnum)
+hcl_t* hcl_openstdwithmmgr (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_errnum_t* errnum)
 {
 	hcl_t* hcl;
 	hcl_vmprim_t vmprim;
@@ -2946,7 +2946,7 @@ hcl_t* hcl_openstdwithmmgr (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_oow_t heaps
 	vmprim.vm_muxwait = vm_muxwait;
 	vmprim.vm_sleep = vm_sleep;
 
-	hcl = hcl_open(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(xtn_t) + xtnsize, heapsize, &vmprim, errnum);
+	hcl = hcl_open(mmgr, HCL_SIZEOF(xtn_t) + xtnsize, &vmprim, errnum);
 	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!hcl)) return HCL_NULL;
 
 	/* adjust the object size by the sizeof xtn_t so that moo_getxtn() returns the right pointer. */
@@ -2969,7 +2969,7 @@ hcl_t* hcl_openstdwithmmgr (hcl_mmgr_t* mmgr, hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_oow_t heaps
 	return hcl;
 }
 
-hcl_t* hcl_openstd (hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_oow_t heapsize, hcl_errnum_t* errnum)
+hcl_t* hcl_openstd (hcl_oow_t xtnsize, hcl_errnum_t* errnum)
 {
-	return hcl_openstdwithmmgr(&sys_mmgr, xtnsize, heapsize, errnum);
+	return hcl_openstdwithmmgr(&sys_mmgr, xtnsize, errnum);
 }