diff --git a/src/stream/src/executor/dispatch.rs b/src/stream/src/executor/dispatch.rs
index 3872ada12cd64..a8fcb8db2bae6 100644
--- a/src/stream/src/executor/dispatch.rs
+++ b/src/stream/src/executor/dispatch.rs
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ impl StreamConsumer for DispatchExecutor {
                     end_of_stream = true;
                     continue;
                 };
-                let mut barrier_batch = smallvec![];
+                let mut barrier_batch = vec![];
                 let msg: Message = msg?;
                 let max_peek_attempts = match msg {
                     Message::Chunk(c) => {
diff --git a/src/stream/src/executor/exchange/permit.rs b/src/stream/src/executor/exchange/permit.rs
index e0ef92406670e..f12e994b2dc30 100644
--- a/src/stream/src/executor/exchange/permit.rs
+++ b/src/stream/src/executor/exchange/permit.rs
@@ -212,7 +212,6 @@ mod tests {
     use std::pin::pin;
 
     use futures::FutureExt;
-    use smallvec::smallvec;
 
     use super::*;
     use crate::executor::DispatcherBarrier as Barrier;
@@ -222,7 +221,7 @@ mod tests {
         let (tx, mut rx) = channel(0, 0, 1);
 
         let send = || {
-            tx.send(Message::BarrierBatch(smallvec![
+            tx.send(Message::BarrierBatch(vec![
                 Barrier::with_prev_epoch_for_test(514, 114),
             ]))
         };
diff --git a/src/stream/src/executor/integration_tests.rs b/src/stream/src/executor/integration_tests.rs
index 0a9587e51f969..350afe181d9e2 100644
--- a/src/stream/src/executor/integration_tests.rs
+++ b/src/stream/src/executor/integration_tests.rs
@@ -359,9 +359,7 @@ impl StreamConsumer for SenderConsumer {
                     .send(match msg {
                         Message::Chunk(chunk) => DispatcherMessageBatch::Chunk(chunk),
                         Message::Barrier(barrier) => {
-                            DispatcherMessageBatch::BarrierBatch(smallvec![
-                                barrier.into_dispatcher()
-                            ])
+                            DispatcherMessageBatch::BarrierBatch(vec![barrier.into_dispatcher()])
                         }
                         Message::Watermark(watermark) => {
                             DispatcherMessageBatch::Watermark(watermark)
diff --git a/src/stream/src/executor/mod.rs b/src/stream/src/executor/mod.rs
index 42899971050cd..fd4b9b6480fbb 100644
--- a/src/stream/src/executor/mod.rs
+++ b/src/stream/src/executor/mod.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ use risingwave_pb::stream_plan::{
     PbUpdateMutation, PbWatermark, ResumeMutation, SourceChangeSplitMutation, StopMutation,
     SubscriptionUpstreamInfo, ThrottleMutation,
 };
-use smallvec::{smallvec, SmallVec};
+use smallvec::SmallVec;
 
 use crate::error::StreamResult;
 use crate::task::{ActorId, FragmentId};
@@ -1047,24 +1047,23 @@ impl<M> MessageInner<M> {
 pub type Message = MessageInner<BarrierMutationType>;
 pub type DispatcherMessage = MessageInner<()>;
 
-const EMPIRICAL_BARRIER_BATCH_SIZE: usize = 8;
 /// `MessageBatchInner` is used exclusively by `Dispatcher` and the `Merger`/`Receiver` for exchanging messages between them.
 /// It shares the same message type as the fundamental `MessageInner`, but batches multiple barriers into a single message.
 #[derive(Debug, EnumAsInner, PartialEq, Clone)]
 pub enum MessageBatchInner<M> {
     Chunk(StreamChunk),
-    BarrierBatch(SmallVec<[BarrierInner<M>; EMPIRICAL_BARRIER_BATCH_SIZE]>),
+    BarrierBatch(Vec<BarrierInner<M>>),
     Watermark(Watermark),
 }
 pub type MessageBatch = MessageBatchInner<BarrierMutationType>;
-pub type DispatcherBarriers = SmallVec<[DispatcherBarrier; EMPIRICAL_BARRIER_BATCH_SIZE]>;
+pub type DispatcherBarriers = Vec<DispatcherBarrier>;
 pub type DispatcherMessageBatch = MessageBatchInner<()>;
 
 impl From<DispatcherMessage> for DispatcherMessageBatch {
     fn from(m: DispatcherMessage) -> Self {
         match m {
             DispatcherMessage::Chunk(c) => Self::Chunk(c),
-            DispatcherMessage::Barrier(b) => Self::BarrierBatch(smallvec![b]),
+            DispatcherMessage::Barrier(b) => Self::BarrierBatch(vec![b]),
             DispatcherMessage::Watermark(w) => Self::Watermark(w),
         }
     }