diff --git a/gzguts.h b/gzguts.h
index 9daada1..eefdca0 100644
--- a/gzguts.h
+++ b/gzguts.h
@@ -117,6 +117,13 @@
     ZEXTERN z_off64_t ZEXPORT gzoffset64 OF((gzFile));
 #endif
 
+/* default memLevel */
+#if MAX_MEM_LEVEL >= 8
+#  define DEF_MEM_LEVEL 8
+#else
+#  define DEF_MEM_LEVEL  MAX_MEM_LEVEL
+#endif
+
 /* default i/o buffer size -- double this for output when reading */
 #define GZBUFSIZE 8192
 
diff --git a/gzwrite.c b/gzwrite.c
index 6c991fe..2dcb3fc 100644
--- a/gzwrite.c
+++ b/gzwrite.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ local int gz_init(state)
         strm->zfree = Z_NULL;
         strm->opaque = Z_NULL;
         ret = deflateInit2(strm, state->level, Z_DEFLATED,
-                           15 + 16, 8, state->strategy);
+                           MAX_WBITS + 16, DEF_MEM_LEVEL, state->strategy);
         if (ret != Z_OK) {
             free(state->out);
             free(state->in);