diff --git a/src/include/lean/lean.h b/src/include/lean/lean.h
index 922ae12efa..732b543ea3 100644
--- a/src/include/lean/lean.h
+++ b/src/include/lean/lean.h
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ static inline unsigned lean_get_slot_idx(unsigned sz) {
 void * lean_alloc_small(unsigned sz, unsigned slot_idx);
 void lean_free_small(void * p);
 unsigned lean_small_mem_size(void * p);
+void lean_inc_heartbeat();
 
 static inline lean_object * lean_alloc_small_object(unsigned sz) {
 #ifdef LEAN_SMALL_ALLOCATOR
@@ -318,6 +319,7 @@ static inline lean_object * lean_alloc_small_object(unsigned sz) {
     assert(sz <= LEAN_MAX_SMALL_OBJECT_SIZE);
     return (lean_object*)lean_alloc_small(sz, slot_idx);
 #else
+    lean_inc_heartbeat();
     void * mem = malloc(sizeof(size_t) + sz);
     if (mem == 0) lean_panic_out_of_memory();
     *(size_t*)mem = sz;
diff --git a/src/runtime/alloc.cpp b/src/runtime/alloc.cpp
index 48665b3081..b53cc94f93 100644
--- a/src/runtime/alloc.cpp
+++ b/src/runtime/alloc.cpp
@@ -389,6 +389,12 @@ extern "C" void * lean_alloc_small(unsigned sz, unsigned slot_idx) {
     return r;
 }
 
+/* Helper function for increasing hearbeat even when LEAN_SMALL_ALLOCATOR is not defined */
+extern "C" void lean_inc_heartbeat() {
+    if (g_heap)
+        g_heap->m_heartbeat++;
+}
+
 uint64_t get_num_heartbeats() {
     if (g_heap)
         return g_heap->m_heartbeat;
@@ -449,10 +455,8 @@ extern "C" unsigned lean_small_mem_size(void * o) {
 }
 
 void initialize_alloc() {
-#ifdef LEAN_SMALL_ALLOCATOR
     g_heap_manager = new heap_manager();
     init_heap(true);
-#endif
 }
 
 void finalize_alloc() {