diff --git a/lib/logstorage/block_stream_merger.go b/lib/logstorage/block_stream_merger.go
index 7e57dfa66..49e736854 100644
--- a/lib/logstorage/block_stream_merger.go
+++ b/lib/logstorage/block_stream_merger.go
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func (bsm *blockStreamMerger) mustWriteBlock(bd *blockData, bsw *blockStreamWrit
 			bsm.bd.copyFrom(&bsm.a, bd)
 			bsm.uniqueFields = uniqueFields
 		}
-	case bsm.uniqueFields+uniqueFields >= maxColumnsPerBlock:
+	case bsm.uniqueFields+uniqueFields > maxColumnsPerBlock:
 		// Cannot merge bd with bsm.rows, because too many columns will be created.
 		// See https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/4762
 		//
diff --git a/lib/logstorage/consts.go b/lib/logstorage/consts.go
index d1de8faea..3bd8da81d 100644
--- a/lib/logstorage/consts.go
+++ b/lib/logstorage/consts.go
@@ -26,9 +26,8 @@ const maxRowsPerBlock = 8 * 1024 * 1024
 // maxColumnsPerBlock is the maximum number of columns per block.
 //
 // It isn't recommended setting this value to too big value, because this may result
-// in excess memory usage during data ingestion and significant slowdown during query execution,
-// since every column header is unpacked in every matching block during query execution.
-const maxColumnsPerBlock = 1_000
+// in excess memory usage during data ingestion and significant slowdown during query execution.
+const maxColumnsPerBlock = 2_000
 
 // MaxFieldNameSize is the maximum size in bytes for field name.
 //