diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c
index dc3d50f8ed86..102eace22956 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ static int opt_interval = 1;
 static u32 opt_xdp_bind_flags = XDP_USE_NEED_WAKEUP;
 static u32 opt_umem_flags;
 static int opt_unaligned_chunks;
+static int opt_mmap_flags;
 static u32 opt_xdp_bind_flags;
 static int opt_xsk_frame_size = XSK_UMEM__DEFAULT_FRAME_SIZE;
 static int opt_timeout = 1000;
@@ -440,6 +441,7 @@ static void parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'u':
 			opt_umem_flags |= XDP_UMEM_UNALIGNED_CHUNK_FLAG;
 			opt_unaligned_chunks = 1;
+			opt_mmap_flags = MAP_HUGETLB;
 			break;
 		case 'F':
 			opt_xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
@@ -742,11 +744,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 
-	ret = posix_memalign(&bufs, getpagesize(), /* PAGE_SIZE aligned */
-			     NUM_FRAMES * opt_xsk_frame_size);
-	if (ret)
-		exit_with_error(ret);
-
+	/* Reserve memory for the umem. Use hugepages if unaligned chunk mode */
+	bufs = mmap(NULL, NUM_FRAMES * opt_xsk_frame_size,
+		    PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE,
+		    MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_ANONYMOUS | opt_mmap_flags, -1, 0);
+	if (bufs == MAP_FAILED) {
+		printf("ERROR: mmap failed\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
        /* Create sockets... */
 	umem = xsk_configure_umem(bufs, NUM_FRAMES * opt_xsk_frame_size);
 	xsks[num_socks++] = xsk_configure_socket(umem);