diff --git a/src/stasis/operations/alloc.c b/src/stasis/operations/alloc.c
index 76e53c6..9b90a4b 100644
--- a/src/stasis/operations/alloc.c
+++ b/src/stasis/operations/alloc.c
@@ -305,11 +305,13 @@ recordid Talloc(int xid, unsigned long size) {
   Page * p = loadPage(xid, alloc->lastFreepage);
 
   writelock(p->rwlatch, 0);
-  while(stasis_record_freespace(xid, p) < stasis_record_type_to_size(type)) {
+  int rec_size = stasis_record_type_to_size(type);
+  if(rec_size < 4) { rec_size = 4; }
+  while(stasis_record_freespace(xid, p) < rec_size) {
     stasis_record_compact(p);
     int newFreespace = stasis_record_freespace(xid, p);
 
-    if(newFreespace >= stasis_record_type_to_size(type)) {
+    if(newFreespace >= rec_size) {
       break;
     }
 
@@ -318,12 +320,12 @@ recordid Talloc(int xid, unsigned long size) {
     releasePage(p);
 
     pageid = stasis_allocation_policy_pick_suitable_page(alloc->allocPolicy, xid,
-                                    stasis_record_type_to_size(type));
+                                    rec_size);
 
     if(pageid == INVALID_PAGE) {
       stasis_alloc_reserve_new_region(alloc, xid);
       pageid = stasis_allocation_policy_pick_suitable_page(alloc->allocPolicy, xid,
-                                                       stasis_record_type_to_size(type));
+                                                       rec_size);
     }
 
     alloc->lastFreepage = pageid;
diff --git a/src/stasis/page/slotted.c b/src/stasis/page/slotted.c
index 24aacea..89024ae 100644
--- a/src/stasis/page/slotted.c
+++ b/src/stasis/page/slotted.c
@@ -229,8 +229,8 @@ static void slottedCompactSlotIDs(int xid, Page * p) {
    makes it possible for callers to guarantee the safety
    of a subsequent call to really_do_ralloc().
 */
-static size_t slottedFreespaceForSlot(Page * page, int slot) {
-  size_t slotOverhead;
+static ssize_t slottedFreespaceForSlot(Page * page, int slot) {
+  ssize_t slotOverhead;
 
   if(slot == INVALID_SLOT) {
     slotOverhead = (*stasis_page_slotted_freelist_ptr(page) == INVALID_SLOT) ? SLOTTED_PAGE_OVERHEAD_PER_RECORD : 0;
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ static size_t slottedFreespaceForSlot(Page * page, int slot) {
     return 0;
   } else {
     // The regions would not overlap.  There might be free space.
-    return (size_t) (end_of_free_space - start_of_free_space - slotOverhead);
+    return (ssize_t) (end_of_free_space - start_of_free_space - slotOverhead);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/test/stasis/check_operations.c b/test/stasis/check_operations.c
index bc08cd8..39d0ff3 100644
--- a/test/stasis/check_operations.c
+++ b/test/stasis/check_operations.c
@@ -479,6 +479,26 @@ START_TEST(operation_alloc_test) {
 
 } END_TEST
 
+START_TEST(operation_alloc_small) {
+  Tinit();
+  int xid = Tbegin();
+  recordid lastrid = NULLRID;
+  for(int j = 0; j < 10; j++) {
+    for(int i = 0; i * (j+4) < PAGE_SIZE * 3; i++) {
+      recordid rid = Talloc(xid, j);
+
+      assert(rid.page != lastrid.page || rid.slot != lastrid.slot);
+
+      DEBUG("%d ", rid.page);
+
+      lastrid = rid;
+    }
+    DEBUG("\n");
+  }
+  Tcommit(xid);
+  Tdeinit();
+} END_TEST;
+
 #define ARRAY_LIST_CHECK_ITER 10000
 START_TEST(operation_array_list) {
 
@@ -835,6 +855,7 @@ Suite * check_suite(void) {
     tcase_add_test(tc, operation_prepare);
   }
   tcase_add_test(tc, operation_alloc_test);
+  tcase_add_test(tc, operation_alloc_small);
   tcase_add_test(tc, operation_array_list);
   tcase_add_test(tc, operation_lsn_free);
   tcase_add_test(tc, operation_reorderable);