diff --git a/src/uucore/src/lib/features/pipes.rs b/src/uucore/src/lib/features/pipes.rs
index aa135a46e39..83918ce67d9 100644
--- a/src/uucore/src/lib/features/pipes.rs
+++ b/src/uucore/src/lib/features/pipes.rs
@@ -149,12 +149,20 @@ pub fn splice_unbounded_auto(source: &impl AsFd, dest: &mut impl AsFd) -> Splice
 #[inline]
 pub fn send_n_bytes(input: impl AsFd, target: impl AsFd, n: u64) -> std::io::Result<u64> {
     let pipe_size = n.min(MAX_ROOTLESS_PIPE_SIZE as u64) as usize;
+    let resize = pipe_size > KERNEL_DEFAULT_PIPE_SIZE;
     // improve throughput if output is pipe
     // expected that input is already extended if it is coming from splice
-    if pipe_size > KERNEL_DEFAULT_PIPE_SIZE {
+    if resize {
         let _ = fcntl_setpipe_size(&target, pipe_size);
     }
-    let Ok((broker_r, broker_w)) = PIPE_CACHE.take().map_or_else(pipe::<false>, Ok) else {
+    let Some((broker_r, broker_w)) = PIPE_CACHE.take().or_else(|| {
+        // use std::io::pipe to avoid fcntl when it is not useful
+        let pair = std::io::pipe().ok()?;
+        if resize {
+            let _ = fcntl_setpipe_size(&pair.0, pipe_size);
+        }
+        Some(pair)
+    }) else {
         return std::io::copy(&mut RawReader(input).take(n), &mut RawWriter(target));
     };
     let mut n = n;