diff --git a/pkg/katautils/config.go b/pkg/katautils/config.go
index 5a500eb5e8..51d2ceba4b 100644
--- a/pkg/katautils/config.go
+++ b/pkg/katautils/config.go
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ func (h hypervisor) defaultMaxVCPUs() uint32 {
 }
 
 func (h hypervisor) defaultMemSz() uint32 {
-	if h.MemorySize < 8 {
+	if h.MemorySize < vc.MinHypervisorMemory {
 		return defaultMemSize // MiB
 	}
 
diff --git a/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go b/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
index e910f21864..4fb6a4881f 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ const (
 	// port numbers below 1024 are called privileged ports. Only a process with
 	// CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE capability may bind to these port numbers.
 	vSockPort = 1024
+
+	// MinHypervisorMemory is the minimum memory required for a VM.
+	MinHypervisorMemory = 256
 )
 
 // In some architectures the maximum number of vCPUs depends on the number of physical cores.
diff --git a/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go b/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go
index 1143cd5df0..6619753e44 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/pkg/oci/utils.go
@@ -446,10 +446,14 @@ func addHypervisorConfigOverrides(ocispec specs.Spec, config *vc.SandboxConfig)
 func addHypervisorMemoryOverrides(ocispec specs.Spec, sbConfig *vc.SandboxConfig) error {
 	if value, ok := ocispec.Annotations[vcAnnotations.DefaultMemory]; ok {
 		memorySz, err := strconv.ParseUint(value, 10, 32)
-		if err != nil || memorySz < 8 {
+		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Error encountered parsing annotation for default_memory: %v, please specify positive numeric value greater than 8", err)
 		}
 
+		if memorySz < vc.MinHypervisorMemory {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Memory specified in annotation %s is less than minimum required %d, please specify a larger value", vcAnnotations.DefaultMemory, vc.MinHypervisorMemory)
+		}
+
 		sbConfig.HypervisorConfig.MemorySize = uint32(memorySz)
 	}