diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/client/stream.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/client/stream.ts
index 483f0e82c7..bb202ac4ad 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/client/stream.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/client/stream.ts
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ class StreamImpl extends Readable {
     this._channel = channel;
   }
 
-  override async _read(size: number) {
-    const result = await this._channel.read({ size });
+  override async _read() {
+    const result = await this._channel.read({ size: 1024 * 1024 });
     if (result.binary.byteLength)
       this.push(result.binary);
     else
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/dispatchers/artifactDispatcher.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/dispatchers/artifactDispatcher.ts
index 6d954f75f6..d898e19e61 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/dispatchers/artifactDispatcher.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/dispatchers/artifactDispatcher.ts
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ export class ArtifactDispatcher extends Dispatcher<Artifact, channels.ArtifactCh
           return;
         }
         try {
-          const readable = fs.createReadStream(localPath);
+          const readable = fs.createReadStream(localPath, { highWaterMark: 1024 * 1024 });
           const stream = new StreamDispatcher(this, readable);
           // Resolve with a stream, so that client starts saving the data.
           resolve({ stream });
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export class ArtifactDispatcher extends Dispatcher<Artifact, channels.ArtifactCh
     const fileName = await this._object.localPathAfterFinished();
     if (!fileName)
       return {};
-    const readable = fs.createReadStream(fileName);
+    const readable = fs.createReadStream(fileName, { highWaterMark: 1024 * 1024 });
     return { stream: new StreamDispatcher(this, readable) };
   }