diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/fpsimd.h b/arch/arm64/include/asm/fpsimd.h
index da18413712c0..930b0e6c9462 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/fpsimd.h
+++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/fpsimd.h
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@
  * When we defined the maximum SVE vector length we defined the ABI so
  * that the maximum vector length included all the reserved for future
  * expansion bits in ZCR rather than those just currently defined by
- * the architecture. While SME follows a similar pattern the fact that
- * it includes a square matrix means that any allocations that attempt
- * to cover the maximum potential vector length (such as happen with
- * the regset used for ptrace) end up being extremely large. Define
- * the much lower actual limit for use in such situations.
+ * the architecture.  Using this length to allocate worst size buffers
+ * results in excessively large allocations, and this effect is even
+ * more pronounced for SME due to ZA.  Define more suitable VLs for
+ * these situations.
  */
-#define SME_VQ_MAX	16
+#define ARCH_SVE_VQ_MAX ((ZCR_ELx_LEN_MASK >> ZCR_ELx_LEN_SHIFT) + 1)
+#define SME_VQ_MAX	((SMCR_ELx_LEN_MASK >> SMCR_ELx_LEN_SHIFT) + 1)
 
 struct task_struct;
 
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/ptrace.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/ptrace.c
index e1f6366b7ccd..d02dd2be17b3 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/ptrace.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/ptrace.c
@@ -1450,7 +1450,8 @@ static const struct user_regset aarch64_regsets[] = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARM64_SVE
 	[REGSET_SVE] = { /* Scalable Vector Extension */
 		.core_note_type = NT_ARM_SVE,
-		.n = DIV_ROUND_UP(SVE_PT_SIZE(SVE_VQ_MAX, SVE_PT_REGS_SVE),
+		.n = DIV_ROUND_UP(SVE_PT_SIZE(ARCH_SVE_VQ_MAX,
+					      SVE_PT_REGS_SVE),
 				  SVE_VQ_BYTES),
 		.size = SVE_VQ_BYTES,
 		.align = SVE_VQ_BYTES,