diff --git a/lib/sdk/writer/index.js b/lib/sdk/writer/index.js
index f55b2d27..5dd83149 100644
--- a/lib/sdk/writer/index.js
+++ b/lib/sdk/writer/index.js
@@ -810,7 +810,8 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
       fd: destination.fd,
       autoClose: false,
       start: 0,
-      end: size
+      end: size,
+      highWaterMark: 1048576
     })
 
     pipeline.bind(source, 'error')