diff --git a/bin/release b/bin/release
index a90b0c0..eacfe1a 100755
--- a/bin/release
+++ b/bin/release
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ cat <<EOF
 ---
 config_vars:
   PATH: .play:.tools:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
-  JAVA_OPTS: -Xmx384m -Xss512k
+  JAVA_OPTS: -Xmx384m -Xss512k -XX:+UseCompressedOops
   PLAY_OPTS: --%prod -Dprecompiled=true
 addons:
   shared-database:5mb
diff --git a/test/release_test.sh b/test/release_test.sh
index affddd4..f487b89 100644
--- a/test/release_test.sh
+++ b/test/release_test.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ testReleasedYamlDoesNotIncludeDefaultProcWhenProcfileIsPresent() {
 ---
 config_vars:
   PATH: .play:.tools:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
-  JAVA_OPTS: -Xmx384m -Xss512k
+  JAVA_OPTS: -Xmx384m -Xss512k -XX:+UseCompressedOops
   PLAY_OPTS: --%prod -Dprecompiled=true
 addons:
   shared-database:5mb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ testReleasedYamlHasDefaultProcessType() {
 ---
 config_vars:
   PATH: .play:.tools:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
-  JAVA_OPTS: -Xmx384m -Xss512k
+  JAVA_OPTS: -Xmx384m -Xss512k -XX:+UseCompressedOops
   PLAY_OPTS: --%prod -Dprecompiled=true
 addons:
   shared-database:5mb