diff --git a/src/openrct2/network/NetworkConnection.cpp b/src/openrct2/network/NetworkConnection.cpp
index bcaf80a386..853d8e4999 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/network/NetworkConnection.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2/network/NetworkConnection.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
     #include "Socket.h"
     #include "network.h"
 
+    #include <sfl/small_vector.hpp>
+
 using namespace OpenRCT2;
 
 static constexpr size_t kNetworkDisconnectReasonBufSize = 256;
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ NetworkReadPacket NetworkConnection::ReadPacket()
     return NetworkReadPacket::MoreData;
 }
 
-static std::vector<uint8_t> serializePacket(const NetworkPacket& packet)
+static sfl::small_vector<uint8_t, 512> serializePacket(const NetworkPacket& packet)
 {
     // NOTE: For compatibility reasons for the master server we need to add sizeof(Header.Id) to the size.
     // Previously the Id field was not part of the header rather part of the body.
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ static std::vector<uint8_t> serializePacket(const NetworkPacket& packet)
     header.Size = Convert::HostToNetwork(header.Size);
     header.Id = ByteSwapBE(header.Id);
 
-    std::vector<uint8_t> buffer;
+    sfl::small_vector<uint8_t, 512> buffer;
     buffer.reserve(sizeof(header) + packet.Data.size());
 
     buffer.insert(buffer.end(), reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(&header), reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(&header) + sizeof(header));
diff --git a/src/openrct2/network/NetworkPacket.h b/src/openrct2/network/NetworkPacket.h
index 20f4a7cd87..a262fc1761 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/network/NetworkPacket.h
+++ b/src/openrct2/network/NetworkPacket.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "NetworkTypes.h"
 
 #include <memory>
+#include <sfl/small_vector.hpp>
 #include <vector>
 
 #pragma pack(push, 1)
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ struct NetworkPacket final
 
 public:
     PacketHeader Header{};
-    std::vector<uint8_t> Data;
+    sfl::small_vector<uint8_t, 512> Data;
     size_t BytesTransferred = 0;
     size_t BytesRead = 0;
 };