diff --git a/src/emu/netlist/pstring.c b/src/emu/netlist/pstring.c
index 5646d78885a..2499a8346b0 100644
--- a/src/emu/netlist/pstring.c
+++ b/src/emu/netlist/pstring.c
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ void pstring::resetmem()
 pblockpool::pblockpool()
     : m_shutdown(false)
     , m_first(NULL)
+    , m_blocksize((DEBUG_MODE) ? 0 : 16384)
     , m_align(8)
 {
 }
@@ -153,6 +154,7 @@ void *pblockpool::alloc(const std::size_t n)
         return (char *) malloc(n);
     else
     {
+        int min_alloc = MAX(m_blocksize, n+sizeof(memblock)-8);
         char *ret = NULL;
         int memsize = ((n + m_align - 1) / m_align) * m_align;
         //std::printf("m_first %p\n", m_first);
@@ -170,10 +172,10 @@ void *pblockpool::alloc(const std::size_t n)
         if (ret == NULL)
         {
             // need to allocate a new block
-            memblock *p = (memblock *) malloc(sizeof(memblock)); //new char[sizeof(memblock)];
+            memblock *p = (memblock *) malloc(min_alloc); //new char[min_alloc];
             p->allocated = 0;
             p->cur = &p->data[0];
-            p->remaining = sizeof(p->data);
+            p->size = p->remaining = min_alloc - sizeof(memblock);
             p->next = m_first;
             //std::printf("allocated block size %d\n", sizeof(p->data));
 
@@ -197,7 +199,7 @@ void pblockpool::dealloc(void *ptr)
     {
         for (memblock *p = m_first; p != NULL; p = p->next)
         {
-            if (ptr >= &p->data[0] && ptr < &p->data[sizeof(p->data)])
+            if (ptr >= &p->data[0] && ptr < &p->data[p->size])
             {
                 p->allocated -= 1;
                 if (p->allocated < 0)
@@ -205,7 +207,7 @@ void pblockpool::dealloc(void *ptr)
                 if (p->allocated == 0)
                 {
                     //std::printf("Block entirely freed\n");
-                    p->remaining = sizeof(p->data);
+                    p->remaining = p->size;
                     p->cur = &p->data[0];
                 }
                 // shutting down ?
diff --git a/src/emu/netlist/pstring.h b/src/emu/netlist/pstring.h
index 03ecd0805c1..04fba576b9a 100644
--- a/src/emu/netlist/pstring.h
+++ b/src/emu/netlist/pstring.h
@@ -19,10 +19,11 @@ struct pblockpool {
     struct memblock
     {
         memblock *next;
+        int size;
         int allocated;
         int remaining;
         char *cur;
-        char data[16384];
+        char data[8];
     };
 
     pblockpool();
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ struct pblockpool {
 
     bool m_shutdown;
     memblock *m_first;
+    int m_blocksize;
     int m_align;
 };
 
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ inline void *operator new(std::size_t size, pblockpool &pool, int extra = 0) thr
 
 inline void operator delete(void *pMem, pblockpool &pool, int extra)
 {
+    pool.dealloc(pMem);
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------