diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index c7247016..7727fe05 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ Buffer* open_fifo(const String& name , const String& filename, Context& context)
     Buffer* buffer = new Buffer(name, Buffer::Flags::Fifo | Buffer::Flags::NoUndo);
 
     auto watcher = new FDWatcher(fd, [buffer](FDWatcher& watcher) {
-        char data[4096];
-        ssize_t count = read(watcher.fd(), data, 4096);
+        constexpr size_t buffer_size = 1024 * 16;
+        char data[buffer_size];
+        ssize_t count = read(watcher.fd(), data, buffer_size);
         buffer->insert(buffer->end()-1,
                        count > 0 ? String(data, data+count)
                                   : "*** kak: fifo closed ***\n");