diff --git a/charts/pega/README.md b/charts/pega/README.md
index b8e8fba5b..e48632596 100644
--- a/charts/pega/README.md
+++ b/charts/pega/README.md
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ Parameter       | Description                                            | Defau
 `cpuLimit`      | CPU limit for pods in the current tier.                | `4`
 `memRequest`    | Initial memory request for pods in the current tier.   | `12Gi`
 `memLimit`      | Memory limit for pods in the current tier.             | `12Gi`
-`initialHeap`   | Specify the initial heap size of the JVM.              | `4096m`
+`initialHeap`   | Specify the initial heap size of the JVM.              | `8192m`
 `maxHeap`       | Specify the maximum heap size of the JVM.              | `8192m`
 
 ### JVM Arguments
diff --git a/charts/pega/templates/_helpers.tpl b/charts/pega/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 29232c51a..dfa3a714b 100644
--- a/charts/pega/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/charts/pega/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ until cqlsh -u {{ $cassandraUser | quote }} -p {{ $cassandraPassword | quote }}
 {{- if .node.initialHeap }}
   value: "{{ .node.initialHeap }}"
 {{- else }}
-  value: "4096m"
+  value: "8192m"
 {{- end }}
 # Maximum JVM heap size, equivalent to -Xmx
 - name: MAX_HEAP
diff --git a/terratest/src/test/pega/pega-tier-deployment_test.go b/terratest/src/test/pega/pega-tier-deployment_test.go
index 5fde1ae94..39ed19f46 100644
--- a/terratest/src/test/pega/pega-tier-deployment_test.go
+++ b/terratest/src/test/pega/pega-tier-deployment_test.go
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ func VerifyDeployment(t *testing.T, pod *k8score.PodSpec, expectedSpec pegaDeplo
 	require.Equal(t, "", pod.Containers[0].Env[envIndex].Value)
 	envIndex++
 	require.Equal(t, "INITIAL_HEAP", pod.Containers[0].Env[envIndex].Name)
-	require.Equal(t, "4096m", pod.Containers[0].Env[envIndex].Value)
+	require.Equal(t, "8192m", pod.Containers[0].Env[envIndex].Value)
 	envIndex++
 	require.Equal(t, "MAX_HEAP", pod.Containers[0].Env[envIndex].Name)
 	require.Equal(t, "8192m", pod.Containers[0].Env[envIndex].Value)