diff --git a/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/large_pages.rs b/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/large_pages.rs
index 3d9fca6b45..8a6d2dbf02 100644
--- a/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/large_pages.rs
+++ b/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/large_pages.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ use std::fs;
 
 use super::*;
 use crate::security::*;
-use crate::utility::*;
 use crate::Config;
 
 const NAME: &str = "large-pages";
@@ -26,13 +25,14 @@ fn explain_init_permissions(_: &Config) -> Vec<Option<String>> {
 }
 
 fn step(config: &mut Config) {
-    let bin = &config.binary_dir;
-
-    for (size, _, expected_pages) in [
+    for (_, page_size, expected_pages) in [
         ("huge", 2048, config.shmem.min_kernel_huge_pages),
         ("gigantic", 1048576, config.shmem.min_kernel_gigantic_pages),
     ] {
-        run!("{bin}/fd_shmem_cfg alloc {expected_pages} {size} 0");
+        let page_path = format!("/sys/devices/system/node/node0/hugepages/hugepages-{page_size}kB");
+
+        super::shmem::try_defragment_memory();
+        std::fs::write(page_path, expected_pages.to_string()).unwrap();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/shmem.rs b/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/shmem.rs
index a1d6094c36..be52a80f84 100644
--- a/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/shmem.rs
+++ b/src/app/fdctl/src/commands/configure/shmem.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ fn explain_fini_permissions(_: &Config) -> Vec<Option<String>> {
     )]
 }
 
-fn try_defragment_memory() {
+pub(crate) fn try_defragment_memory() {
     std::fs::write("/proc/sys/vm/compact_memory", "1").unwrap();
     std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(250));
 }