diff --git a/pageserver/src/branches.rs b/pageserver/src/branches.rs
index f0c4c2340a..9ad5d8452b 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/branches.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/branches.rs
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ fn run_initdb(conf: &'static PageServerConf, initdbpath: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     let initdb_output = Command::new(initdb_path)
         .args(&["-D", initdbpath.to_str().unwrap()])
         .args(&["-U", &conf.superuser])
+        .args(&["-E", "utf8"])
         .arg("--no-instructions")
         // This is only used for a temporary installation that is deleted shortly after,
         // so no need to fsync it
diff --git a/pageserver/src/toast_store.rs b/pageserver/src/toast_store.rs
index af2b6f9d0a..73b60211f0 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/toast_store.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/toast_store.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use yakv::storage::{
     Value,
 };
 
-const TOAST_SEGMENT_SIZE: usize = 2 * 1024;
+const TOAST_SEGMENT_SIZE: usize = 2000;
 const CACHE_SIZE: usize = 1024; // 8Mb
 
 ///