diff --git a/src/staticdata.c b/src/staticdata.c
index 65f5692205704..f8d1c1388a303 100644
--- a/src/staticdata.c
+++ b/src/staticdata.c
@@ -3534,23 +3534,37 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_image_unpack_zstd(void *handle, jl_image_buf_t *image)
     image->size = ZSTD_getFrameContentSize(data, *plen);
     size_t page_size = jl_getpagesize(); /* jl_page_size is not set yet when loading sysimg */
     size_t aligned_size = LLT_ALIGN(image->size, page_size);
+    int fail = 0;
 #if defined(_OS_WINDOWS_)
     size_t large_page_size = GetLargePageMinimum();
-    if (image->size > 4 * large_page_size) {
+    image->data = NULL;
+    if (large_page_size > 0 && image->size > 4 * large_page_size) {
         size_t aligned_size = LLT_ALIGN(image->size, large_page_size);
         image->data = (char *)VirtualAlloc(
             NULL, aligned_size, MEM_COMMIT | MEM_RESERVE | MEM_LARGE_PAGES, PAGE_READWRITE);
     }
-    else {
+    if (!image->data) {
+        /* Try small pages if large pages failed. */
         image->data = (char *)VirtualAlloc(NULL, aligned_size, MEM_COMMIT | MEM_RESERVE,
                                            PAGE_READWRITE);
     }
+    fail = !image->data;
+#else
+    image->data = (char *)mmap(NULL, aligned_size, PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE,
+                               MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0);
+    fail = image->data == (void *)-1;
+#endif
+    if (fail) {
+        const char *err;
+#if defined(_OS_WINDOWS_)
+        char err_buf[256];
+        win32_formatmessage(GetLastError(), err_buf, sizeof(err_buf));
+        err = err_buf;
 #else
-    image->data =
-        (char *)mmap(NULL, aligned_size, PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0);
+        err = strerror(errno);
 #endif
-    if (!image->data || image->data == (void *)-1) {
-        jl_printf(JL_STDERR, "ERROR: failed to allocate space for system image\n");
+        jl_printf(JL_STDERR, "ERROR: failed to allocate memory for system image: %s\n",
+                  err);
         jl_exit(1);
     }