diff --git a/ext/hwmalloc b/ext/hwmalloc
index 89e113a..c3ddc35 160000
--- a/ext/hwmalloc
+++ b/ext/hwmalloc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 89e113a354582fe964bab124cd24d54252e8c9e0
+Subproject commit c3ddc35f58ad6709388c209dfaec59b1ff40d472
diff --git a/include/oomph/context.hpp b/include/oomph/context.hpp
index ac5f66f..cc74344 100644
--- a/include/oomph/context.hpp
+++ b/include/oomph/context.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <hwmalloc/config.hpp>
+#include <hwmalloc/heap_config.hpp>
 #include <hwmalloc/device.hpp>
 #include <oomph/config.hpp>
 #include <oomph/message_buffer.hpp>
@@ -41,8 +42,8 @@ class context
     std::unique_ptr<schedule> m_schedule;
 
   public:
-    context(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe = true, bool message_pool_never_free = false,
-        std::size_t message_pool_reserve = 1);
+    context(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe = true,
+        hwmalloc::heap_config const& = hwmalloc::get_default_heap_config());
 
     context(context const&) = delete;
 
diff --git a/src/context.cpp b/src/context.cpp
index e6be5ad..73d5551 100644
--- a/src/context.cpp
+++ b/src/context.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
 #include <hwmalloc/numa.hpp>
+#include <hwmalloc/heap_config.hpp>
 #include <oomph/config.hpp>
 
 // paths relative to backend
@@ -24,9 +25,9 @@ namespace oomph
 {
 
 context::context(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe, //unsigned int num_tag_ranges,
-    bool message_pool_never_free, std::size_t message_pool_reserve)
+    hwmalloc::heap_config const& heap_config)
 : m_mpi_comm{comm}
-, m(m_mpi_comm.get(), thread_safe, message_pool_never_free, message_pool_reserve)
+, m(m_mpi_comm.get(), thread_safe, heap_config)
 , m_schedule{std::make_unique<schedule>()}
 //, m_tag_range_factory(num_tag_ranges, m->num_tag_bits())
 {
diff --git a/src/libfabric/context.cpp b/src/libfabric/context.cpp
index 9365be8..5621a83 100644
--- a/src/libfabric/context.cpp
+++ b/src/libfabric/context.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
 #include <cstdint>
 //
 #include <boost/thread.hpp>
+
+#include <hwmalloc/heap_config.hpp>
+
 // paths relative to backend
 #include <oomph_libfabric_defines.hpp>
 #include <controller.hpp>
@@ -23,10 +26,10 @@ static NS_DEBUG::enable_print<false> src_deb("__SRC__");
 
 using controller_type = libfabric::controller;
 
-context_impl::context_impl(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe, bool message_pool_never_free,
-    std::size_t message_pool_reserve)
+context_impl::context_impl(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe,
+    hwmalloc::heap_config const& heap_config)
 : context_base(comm, thread_safe)
-, m_heap{this, message_pool_never_free, message_pool_reserve}
+, m_heap{this, heap_config}
 , m_recv_cb_queue(128)
 , m_recv_cb_cancel(8)
 {
diff --git a/src/libfabric/context.hpp b/src/libfabric/context.hpp
index 256cb9f..a7c0c11 100644
--- a/src/libfabric/context.hpp
+++ b/src/libfabric/context.hpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <stack>
 
 #include <hwmalloc/heap.hpp>
+#include <hwmalloc/heap_config.hpp>
 #include <hwmalloc/register.hpp>
 
 #include <oomph/config.hpp>
@@ -59,8 +60,7 @@ class context_impl : public context_base
     callback_queue m_recv_cb_cancel;
 
   public:
-    context_impl(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe, bool message_pool_never_free,
-        std::size_t message_pool_reserve);
+    context_impl(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe, hwmalloc::heap_config const& heap_config);
     context_impl(context_impl const&) = delete;
     context_impl(context_impl&&) = delete;
 
diff --git a/src/mpi/context.hpp b/src/mpi/context.hpp
index e31bc73..53f1e81 100644
--- a/src/mpi/context.hpp
+++ b/src/mpi/context.hpp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
  */
 #pragma once
 
+#include <hwmalloc/heap_config.hpp>
+
 #include <oomph/config.hpp>
 
 // paths relative to backend
@@ -34,10 +36,9 @@ class context_impl : public context_base
     shared_request_queue m_req_queue;
 
   public:
-    context_impl(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe, bool message_pool_never_free,
-        std::size_t message_pool_reserve)
+    context_impl(MPI_Comm comm, bool thread_safe, hwmalloc::heap_config const& heap_config)
     : context_base(comm, thread_safe)
-    , m_heap{this, message_pool_never_free, message_pool_reserve}
+    , m_heap{this, heap_config}
     //, m_rma_context{m_mpi_comm}
     {
         // get largest allowed tag value
diff --git a/src/ucx/context.hpp b/src/ucx/context.hpp
index 231068c..2f790ae 100644
--- a/src/ucx/context.hpp
+++ b/src/ucx/context.hpp
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 #include <boost/lockfree/queue.hpp>
 
+#include <hwmalloc/heap_config.hpp>
+
 #include <oomph/context.hpp>
 
 // paths relative to backend
@@ -74,15 +76,14 @@ class context_impl : public context_base
     friend struct worker_t;
 
   public: // ctors
-    context_impl(MPI_Comm mpi_c, bool thread_safe, bool message_pool_never_free,
-        std::size_t message_pool_reserve)
+    context_impl(MPI_Comm mpi_c, bool thread_safe, hwmalloc::heap_config const& heap_config)
     : context_base(mpi_c, thread_safe)
 #if defined OOMPH_UCX_USE_PMI
     , m_db(address_db_pmi(context_base::m_mpi_comm))
 #else
     , m_db(address_db_mpi(context_base::m_mpi_comm))
 #endif
-    , m_heap{this, message_pool_never_free, message_pool_reserve}
+    , m_heap{this, heap_config}
     , m_rma_context()
     , m_recv_req_queue(128)
     , m_cancel_recv_req_queue(128)