diff --git a/.golangci.yaml b/.golangci.yaml
index 624821e..a86235f 100644
--- a/.golangci.yaml
+++ b/.golangci.yaml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ linters:
     - godox
     - goheader
     - gomoddirectives
-    - gomodguard
+    - gomodguard_v2
     - goprintffuncname
     # - gosec
     - gosmopolitan
diff --git a/benchmarks_test.go b/benchmarks_test.go
index 5f0989f..e9ca738 100644
--- a/benchmarks_test.go
+++ b/benchmarks_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type benchParam struct {
 	maxInMemArenaString string
 }
 
+//nolint:goconst // size labels are clearer inline in the table than as named constants
 func getBenchParams() []benchParam {
 	messageBase := "abcdefghijlkmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEF"
 	// message 128 bytes
diff --git a/bigqueue_test.go b/bigqueue_test.go
index 262d82d..5ddbff1 100644
--- a/bigqueue_test.go
+++ b/bigqueue_test.go
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func TestEnqueueLargeMessage(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	msg := make([]byte, 0)
+	msg := make([]byte, 0, cDefaultArenaSize-8)
 	for range cDefaultArenaSize - 8 {
 		m := []byte("a")
 		msg = append(msg, m...)
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ func TestEnqueueOverlapLength(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	msg1 := make([]byte, 0)
+	msg1 := make([]byte, 0, cDefaultArenaSize-12)
 	for range cDefaultArenaSize - 12 {
 		m := []byte("a")
 		msg1 = append(msg1, m...)
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func TestEnqueueOverlapLength(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("enqueue failed :: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	msg2 := make([]byte, 0)
+	msg2 := make([]byte, 0, cDefaultArenaSize-4)
 	for range cDefaultArenaSize - 4 {
 		m := []byte("a")
 		msg2 = append(msg2, m...)
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func TestEnqueueLargeNumberOfMessages(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	numMessages := 10
-	lengths := make([]int, 0)
+	lengths := make([]int, 0, numMessages)
 	alphabets := "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
 	for range numMessages {
 		msgLen := rand.Intn(cDefaultArenaSize) + cDefaultArenaSize