diff --git a/docs/victoriametrics/changelog/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/victoriametrics/changelog/CHANGELOG.md
index a5d370995f..745e6ec35b 100644
--- a/docs/victoriametrics/changelog/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/victoriametrics/changelog/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ See also [LTS releases](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victoriametrics/lts-rel
 
 ## tip
 
+* FEATURE: all VictoriaMetrics components: improve logging for the `-memory.allowedBytes` flag to warn about excessively low value (less than 1MB). See issue [#10935](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/10935).
 * FEATURE: [vmsingle](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victoriametrics/single-server-victoriametrics/), `vminsert` in [VictoriaMetrics cluster](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victoriametrics/cluster-victoriametrics/) and [vmagent](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victoriametrics/vmagent/): add `-opentelemetry.labelNameUnderscoreSanitization` command-line flag to control whether to enable prepending of `key` to labels starting with `_` when `-opentelemetry.usePrometheusNaming` is enabled. See [OpenTelemetry](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victoriametrics/integrations/opentelemetry/) docs and [#9663](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/9663). Thanks to @andriibeee for the contribution.
 * FEATURE: [vmui](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victoriametrics/single-server-victoriametrics/#vmui): improve the [Top Queries](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victoriametrics/single-server-victoriametrics/#top-queries) table UI. Duration columns now display human-readable values (e.g. `1.23s`) instead of raw seconds, memory column shows human-readable sizes (e.g. `1.23 MB`), instant queries are labeled as `instant` instead of empty string, and column headers now show tooltips with descriptions. See [#10790](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/pull/10790).
 
diff --git a/lib/memory/memory.go b/lib/memory/memory.go
index 25d339b9ab..91a26e66b8 100644
--- a/lib/memory/memory.go
+++ b/lib/memory/memory.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	allowedPercent = flag.Float64("memory.allowedPercent", 60, `Allowed percent of system memory VictoriaMetrics caches may occupy. See also -memory.allowedBytes. Too low a value may increase cache miss rate usually resulting in higher CPU and disk IO usage. Too high a value may evict too much data from the OS page cache which will result in higher disk IO usage`)
-	allowedBytes   = flagutil.NewBytes("memory.allowedBytes", 0, `Allowed size of system memory VictoriaMetrics caches may occupy. This option overrides -memory.allowedPercent if set to a non-zero value. Too low a value may increase the cache miss rate usually resulting in higher CPU and disk IO usage. Too high a value may evict too much data from the OS page cache resulting in higher disk IO usage`)
+	allowedBytes   = flagutil.NewBytes("memory.allowedBytes", 0, `Allowed size of system memory VictoriaMetrics caches may occupy. This option overrides -memory.allowedPercent if set to a non-zero value. Too low a value may increase the cache miss rate usually resulting in higher CPU and disk IO usage. Too high a value may evict too much data from the OS page cache resulting in higher disk IO usage. The process may behave unexpectedly if this flag is set too small (e.g., 1 byte).`)
 )
 
 var _ = metrics.NewGauge("process_memory_limit_bytes", func() float64 {
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ func initOnce() {
 		logger.Infof("limiting caches to %d bytes, leaving %d bytes to the OS according to -memory.allowedPercent=%g, system memory limit %d bytes", allowedMemory, remainingMemory, *allowedPercent, memoryLimit)
 	} else {
 		allowedMemory = allowedBytes.IntN()
+		if allowedMemory < 1*1024*1024 {
+			// It's fair to print a hint if the allowedBytes is set to too small, typically by misconfiguration.
+			logger.Warnf("allowed memory %d bytes set by -memory.allowedBytes is low. The process may behave unexpectedly.", allowedMemory)
+		}
 		remainingMemory = memoryLimit - allowedMemory
 		if remainingMemory <= 0 {
 			logger.Fatalf("FATAL: remaining memory %d bytes cannot be less than or equal to zero, detected system memory limit %d bytes, -memory.allowedBytes=%s", remainingMemory, memoryLimit, allowedBytes.String())