diff --git a/src/iterator.cpp b/src/iterator.cpp
index acdb6c519..df3e62d7a 100644
--- a/src/iterator.cpp
+++ b/src/iterator.cpp
@@ -22,9 +22,7 @@ namespace ddwaf {
 
 template <typename T>
 iterator_base<T>::iterator_base(const object_set_ref &exclude) : excluded_(exclude)
-{
-    stack_.reserve(initial_stack_size);
-}
+{}
 
 template <typename T> bool iterator_base<T>::operator++()
 {
diff --git a/src/iterator.hpp b/src/iterator.hpp
index 51952f6bb..f2f1caecf 100644
--- a/src/iterator.hpp
+++ b/src/iterator.hpp
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@
 
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <memory>
+#include <new>
 #include <span>
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
+#include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 #include <variant>
 #include <vector>
@@ -22,6 +25,164 @@
 // Eventually object will be a class rather than a namespace
 namespace ddwaf {
 
+// NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-pro-type-member-init,hicpp-member-init)
+template <typename T, std::size_t InlineCapacity> class small_vector {
+public:
+    static_assert(InlineCapacity > 0);
+
+    small_vector() = default;
+    ~small_vector()
+    {
+        if (!using_overflow_) {
+            clear_inline();
+        }
+    }
+
+    small_vector(const small_vector &) = delete;
+    small_vector(small_vector &&) noexcept = delete;
+    small_vector &operator=(const small_vector &) = delete;
+    small_vector &operator=(small_vector &&) noexcept = delete;
+
+    [[nodiscard]] bool empty() const noexcept { return size_ == 0; }
+    [[nodiscard]] std::size_t size() const noexcept { return size_; }
+
+    void clear()
+    {
+        if (!using_overflow_) {
+            clear_inline();
+        } else {
+            clear_overflow();
+        }
+        size_ = 0;
+    }
+
+    template <typename... Args> T &emplace_back(Args &&...args)
+    {
+        if (using_overflow_) {
+            T &ref = overflow_.emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+            size_ = overflow_.size();
+            return ref;
+        }
+
+        if (size_ < InlineCapacity) {
+            T *ptr = inline_ptr_no_obj(size_);
+            std::construct_at(ptr, std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+            ++size_;
+            return *ptr;
+        }
+
+        spill_to_overflow();
+        T &ref = overflow_.emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+        size_ = overflow_.size();
+        return ref;
+    }
+
+    void pop_back()
+    {
+        if (using_overflow_) {
+            overflow_.pop_back();
+            size_ = overflow_.size();
+            return;
+        }
+        --size_;
+        std::destroy_at(inline_ptr(size_));
+    }
+
+    [[nodiscard]] T &front() { return (*this)[0]; }
+    [[nodiscard]] const T &front() const { return (*this)[0]; }
+    [[nodiscard]] T &back() { return (*this)[size_ - 1]; }
+    [[nodiscard]] const T &back() const { return (*this)[size_ - 1]; }
+
+    [[nodiscard]] T &operator[](std::size_t index)
+    {
+        return using_overflow_ ? overflow_[index] : *inline_ptr(index);
+    }
+    [[nodiscard]] const T &operator[](std::size_t index) const
+    {
+        return using_overflow_ ? overflow_[index] : *inline_ptr(index);
+    }
+
+    [[nodiscard]] T *begin() noexcept { return size_ == 0 ? nullptr : data(); }
+    [[nodiscard]] T *end() noexcept { return size_ == 0 ? nullptr : data() + size_; }
+    [[nodiscard]] const T *begin() const noexcept { return size_ == 0 ? nullptr : data(); }
+    [[nodiscard]] const T *end() const noexcept { return size_ == 0 ? nullptr : data() + size_; }
+
+private:
+    [[nodiscard]] T *inline_ptr_no_obj(std::size_t index) noexcept
+    {
+        // NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-pro-type-reinterpret-cast)
+        return reinterpret_cast<T *>(inline_storage_ + (index * sizeof(T)));
+    }
+    [[nodiscard]] T *inline_ptr(std::size_t index) noexcept
+    {
+        // NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-pro-type-reinterpret-cast)
+        return std::launder(reinterpret_cast<T *>(inline_storage_ + (index * sizeof(T))));
+    }
+    [[nodiscard]] const T *inline_ptr(std::size_t index) const noexcept
+    {
+        // NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-pro-type-reinterpret-cast)
+        return std::launder(reinterpret_cast<const T *>(inline_storage_ + (index * sizeof(T))));
+    }
+
+    [[nodiscard]] T *data() noexcept { return using_overflow_ ? overflow_.data() : inline_ptr(0); }
+    [[nodiscard]] const T *data() const noexcept
+    {
+        return using_overflow_ ? overflow_.data() : inline_ptr(0);
+    }
+
+    void clear_overflow()
+    {
+        if constexpr (std::is_nothrow_move_constructible_v<T>) {
+            // Spill reuses the retained capacity, so keep the allocation.
+            overflow_.clear();
+        } else {
+            // Spill builds a fresh temporary and discards this buffer, so
+            // holding the allocation buys nothing; free it.
+            overflow_ = std::vector<T>{};
+        }
+        using_overflow_ = false;
+    }
+
+    void clear_inline()
+    {
+        if constexpr (!std::is_trivially_destructible_v<T>) {
+            for (std::size_t i = 0; i < size_; ++i) { std::destroy_at(inline_ptr(i)); }
+        }
+    }
+
+    void spill_to_overflow()
+    {
+        if constexpr (std::is_nothrow_move_constructible_v<T>) {
+            // Moves can't throw, so there is nothing to roll back: reuse the
+            // capacity retained from a prior spill/clear cycle in place.
+            overflow_.reserve(size_ + 1);
+            for (std::size_t i = 0; i < size_; ++i) {
+                overflow_.emplace_back(std::move(*inline_ptr(i)));
+            }
+        } else {
+            // move_if_noexcept falls back to a copy that may throw. Build a
+            // temporary so a throw unwinds it before any inline element is
+            // destroyed, preserving the strong guarantee on the inline buffer.
+            std::vector<T> overflow;
+            overflow.reserve(size_ + 1);
+            for (std::size_t i = 0; i < size_; ++i) {
+                overflow.emplace_back(std::move_if_noexcept(*inline_ptr(i)));
+            }
+            // only reached if every element moved/copied successfully
+            overflow_ = std::move(overflow);
+        }
+        clear_inline();
+        using_overflow_ = true;
+    }
+
+    // uninitialized storage for the inline elements
+    // NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-c-arrays,modernize-avoid-c-arrays)
+    alignas(T) std::byte inline_storage_[sizeof(T) * InlineCapacity];
+    std::size_t size_{0};
+    std::vector<T> overflow_;
+    bool using_overflow_{false};
+};
+
 template <typename T> class iterator_base {
 public:
     ~iterator_base() = default;
@@ -38,15 +199,18 @@ template <typename T> class iterator_base {
     [[nodiscard]] std::vector<std::variant<std::string_view, int64_t>> get_current_path() const;
 
 protected:
-    static constexpr std::size_t initial_stack_size = 32;
+    static constexpr std::size_t initial_stack_size = 16;
+    static constexpr std::size_t initial_path_size = 8;
+    using path_element = std::variant<std::string_view, int64_t>;
+    using stack_element = std::pair<object_view, std::size_t>;
 
     // This is only used when the iterator is initialised with a key path,
     // since the iterator doesn't keep track of the root object provided,
     // but only the beginning of the key path, we keep this here so that we
     // can later provide the accurate full key path.
-    std::vector<std::variant<std::string_view, int64_t>> path_;
+    small_vector<path_element, initial_path_size> path_;
 
-    std::vector<std::pair<object_view, std::size_t>> stack_;
+    small_vector<stack_element, initial_stack_size> stack_;
     std::pair<object_view, object_view> current_;
 
     const object_set_ref &excluded_;