diff --git a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapAccountStateLeafNode.h b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapAccountStateLeafNode.h
index e388d205d1..2110bc767d 100644
--- a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapAccountStateLeafNode.h
+++ b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapAccountStateLeafNode.h
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ public:
         hash_ = SHAMapHash{sha512Half(HashPrefix::LeafNode, item_->slice(), item_->key())};
     }
 
+    std::size_t
+    sizeForWire() const final
+    {
+        return item_->size() + uint256::kBytes + sizeof(std::uint8_t);
+    }
+
     void
     serializeForWire(Serializer& s) const final
     {
diff --git a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.h b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.h
index cafb498218..7dd5c0f45d 100644
--- a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.h
+++ b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.h
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ public:
     /** Each inner node has 16 children (the 'radix tree' part of the map) */
     static constexpr unsigned int kBranchFactor = 16;
 
+    /** Branch count below which compressed wire format is used instead of full.
+        Compressed format encodes only populated branches, costing 33 bytes each
+        plus a 1-byte type tag.  Full format always emits all 16 hashes (513
+        bytes). At this threshold, compressed is still smaller than full. */
+    static constexpr unsigned int kCompressedThreshold = 12;
+
 private:
     /** Opaque type that contains the `hashes` array (array of type
        `SHAMapHash`) and the `children` array (array of type
@@ -149,6 +155,9 @@ public:
     void
     updateHashDeep();
 
+    std::size_t
+    sizeForWire() const override;
+
     void
     serializeForWire(Serializer&) const override;
 
diff --git a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapLeafNode.h b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapLeafNode.h
index af5ed29702..5b3994197b 100644
--- a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapLeafNode.h
+++ b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapLeafNode.h
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ public:
         return false;
     }
 
+    std::size_t
+    sizeForWire() const override = 0;
+
     void
     invariants(bool isRoot = false) const final;
 
diff --git a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTreeNode.h b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTreeNode.h
index 5cca2ea41a..9ee5ac9806 100644
--- a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTreeNode.h
+++ b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTreeNode.h
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ public:
     virtual bool
     isInner() const = 0;
 
+    /** Returns the exact number of bytes that serializeForWire will emit. */
+    virtual std::size_t
+    sizeForWire() const = 0;
+
     /** Serialize the node in a format appropriate for sending over the wire */
     virtual void
     serializeForWire(Serializer&) const = 0;
diff --git a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxLeafNode.h b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxLeafNode.h
index 49f4f90906..6fc7b79a9b 100644
--- a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxLeafNode.h
+++ b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxLeafNode.h
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ public:
         hash_ = SHAMapHash{sha512Half(HashPrefix::TransactionId, item_->slice())};
     }
 
+    std::size_t
+    sizeForWire() const final
+    {
+        return item_->size() + sizeof(std::uint8_t);
+    }
+
     void
     serializeForWire(Serializer& s) const final
     {
diff --git a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxPlusMetaLeafNode.h b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxPlusMetaLeafNode.h
index 3f4163ac41..ad105c1899 100644
--- a/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxPlusMetaLeafNode.h
+++ b/include/xrpl/shamap/SHAMapTxPlusMetaLeafNode.h
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ public:
         hash_ = SHAMapHash{sha512Half(HashPrefix::TxNode, item_->slice(), item_->key())};
     }
 
+    std::size_t
+    sizeForWire() const final
+    {
+        return item_->size() + uint256::kBytes + sizeof(std::uint8_t);
+    }
+
     void
     serializeForWire(Serializer& s) const final
     {
diff --git a/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.cpp b/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.cpp
index ee6ebf7f3f..c86f92e14e 100644
--- a/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.cpp
+++ b/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapInnerNode.cpp
@@ -219,13 +219,22 @@ SHAMapInnerNode::updateHashDeep()
     updateHash();
 }
 
+std::size_t
+SHAMapInnerNode::sizeForWire() const
+{
+    auto const n = getBranchCount();
+    if (n < kCompressedThreshold)
+        return n * (uint256::kBytes + sizeof(std::uint8_t)) + sizeof(std::uint8_t);
+    return kBranchFactor * uint256::kBytes + sizeof(std::uint8_t);
+}
+
 void
 SHAMapInnerNode::serializeForWire(Serializer& s) const
 {
     XRPL_ASSERT(!isEmpty(), "xrpl::SHAMapInnerNode::serializeForWire : is non-empty");
 
     // If the node is sparse, then only send non-empty branches:
-    if (getBranchCount() < 12)
+    if (getBranchCount() < kCompressedThreshold)
     {
         // compressed node
         auto hashes = hashesAndChildren_.getHashes();
diff --git a/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapSync.cpp b/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapSync.cpp
index dc4f4ffe27..71cb849f06 100644
--- a/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapSync.cpp
+++ b/src/libxrpl/shamap/SHAMapSync.cpp
@@ -454,9 +454,7 @@ SHAMap::getNodeFat(
         std::tie(node, nodeID, depth) = stack.top();
         stack.pop();
 
-        // Use a fresh Serializer per node and move its buffer into `data` rather than copying it
-        // via Serializer::getData(): the move is O(1) whereas the copy was O(node size).
-        Serializer s;
+        Serializer s(node->sizeForWire());
         node->serializeForWire(s);
         data.emplace_back(nodeID, std::move(s.modData()));
 
@@ -486,7 +484,7 @@ SHAMap::getNodeFat(
                         else if (childNode->isInner() || fatLeaves)
                         {
                             // Just include this node
-                            Serializer cs;
+                            Serializer cs(childNode->sizeForWire());
                             childNode->serializeForWire(cs);
                             data.emplace_back(childID, std::move(cs.modData()));
                         }
@@ -793,7 +791,7 @@ SHAMap::getProofPath(uint256 const& key) const
     path.reserve(stack.size());
     while (!stack.empty())
     {
-        Serializer s;
+        Serializer s(stack.top().first->sizeForWire());
         stack.top().first->serializeForWire(s);
         path.emplace_back(std::move(s.modData()));
         stack.pop();