diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index ee9041d..e4173b3 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -189,24 +189,32 @@
           if grep -q "tmpfs /nix/.rw-store" /proc/mounts 2>/dev/null; then
             echo "ISO environment detected - running full install for: $HOSTNAME"
 
-            # Step 1: Partition and format disk
-            echo "--- Step 1/4: Running disko ---"
+            # Step 1: Expand tmpfs and set up zram swap BEFORE downloading anything
+            echo "--- Step 1/4: Expanding tmpfs and enabling zram swap ---"
+            sudo mount -o remount,size=4G /nix/.rw-store
+            if sudo modprobe zram 2>/dev/null; then
+              echo 2G | sudo tee /sys/block/zram0/disksize > /dev/null
+              sudo mkswap /dev/zram0
+              sudo swapon /dev/zram0
+              echo "zram swap enabled"
+            else
+              echo "zram not available, continuing without it"
+            fi
+
+            # Step 2: Partition and format disk
+            echo "--- Step 2/4: Running disko ---"
             sudo nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" run \
               github:nix-community/disko/latest -- \
               --mode destroy,format,mount \
               --flake "$FLAKE_DIR#$HOSTNAME"
 
-            # Step 2: Create swap file on installed root to relieve RAM pressure
-            echo "--- Step 2/4: Creating 2GB swap file ---"
+            # Step 3: Create swap file on installed root for nixos-install
+            echo "--- Step 3/4: Creating 2GB swap file on target disk ---"
             sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/swapfile bs=1M count=2048 status=progress
             sudo chmod 600 /mnt/swapfile
             sudo mkswap /mnt/swapfile
             sudo swapon /mnt/swapfile
 
-            # Step 3: Expand /nix/.rw-store tmpfs (default is too small for install)
-            echo "--- Step 3/4: Expanding /nix/.rw-store to 3G ---"
-            sudo mount -o remount,size=3G /nix/.rw-store
-
             # Step 4: Install NixOS
             echo "--- Step 4/4: Running nixos-install ---"
             sudo nixos-install --flake "$FLAKE_DIR#$HOSTNAME"