diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/back-bdb.h b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/back-bdb.h
index baa408a366..d9b38e4399 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/back-bdb.h
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/back-bdb.h
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ LDAP_BEGIN_DECL
  * When using BDB_IDL_MULTI, the IDL size is no longer an issue. Smaller
  * pages are better for concurrency.
  */
+#ifndef BDB_ID2ENTRY_PAGESIZE
+#define	BDB_ID2ENTRY_PAGESIZE	16384
+#endif
+
 #ifndef BDB_PAGESIZE
 #ifdef BDB_IDL_MULTI
 #define	BDB_PAGESIZE	4096	/* BDB's original default */
diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
index 66eb7ce861..41e4c37b77 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
@@ -244,6 +244,11 @@ bdb_db_open( BackendDB *be )
 		if( i == BDB_ID2ENTRY ) {
 			rc = db->bdi_db->set_bt_compare( db->bdi_db,
 				bdb_bt_compare );
+			rc = db->bdi_db->set_pagesize( db->bdi_db,
+				BDB_ID2ENTRY_PAGESIZE );
+		} else {
+			rc = db->bdi_db->set_pagesize( db->bdi_db,
+				BDB_PAGESIZE );
 		}
 #ifdef BDB_IDL_MULTI
 		if( i == BDB_DN2ID ) {
@@ -252,8 +257,6 @@ bdb_db_open( BackendDB *be )
 				bdb_bt_compare );
 		}
 #endif
-		rc = db->bdi_db->set_pagesize( db->bdi_db, BDB_PAGESIZE );
-
 		rc = db->bdi_db->open( db->bdi_db,
 			bdbi_databases[i].file,
 		/*	bdbi_databases[i].name, */ NULL,