diff --git a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/provider_test.go b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/provider_test.go
index 2987d1a0a2..98847b344f 100644
--- a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/provider_test.go
+++ b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/provider_test.go
@@ -181,7 +181,14 @@ func TestProvider(t *testing.T) {
 				if err != nil {
 					return err.Error()
 				}
-				rh := r.NewReadHandle(ctx)
+				var rh objstorage.ReadHandle
+				// Test both ways of getting a handle.
+				if rand.Intn(2) == 0 {
+					rh = r.NewReadHandle(ctx)
+				} else {
+					var prealloc PreallocatedReadHandle
+					rh = UsePreallocatedReadHandle(ctx, r, &prealloc)
+				}
 				if forCompaction {
 					rh.SetupForCompaction()
 				}
diff --git a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/readahead.go b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/readahead.go
index e07017c909..de9ff714f2 100644
--- a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/readahead.go
+++ b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/readahead.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 package objstorageprovider
 
+import "github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/invariants"
+
 const (
 	// Constants for dynamic readahead of data blocks. Note that the size values
 	// make sense as some multiple of the default block size; and they should
@@ -81,6 +83,9 @@ func (rs *readaheadState) recordCacheHit(offset, blockLength int64) {
 // Returns a size value (greater than 0) that should be prefetched if readahead
 // would be beneficial.
 func (rs *readaheadState) maybeReadahead(offset, blockLength int64) int64 {
+	if invariants.Enabled && rs.maxReadaheadSize == 0 {
+		panic("readaheadState not initialized")
+	}
 	currentReadEnd := offset + blockLength
 	if rs.numReads >= minFileReadsForReadahead {
 		// The minimum threshold of sequential reads to justify reading ahead
diff --git a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/testdata/provider/local_readahead b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/testdata/provider/local_readahead
index b3c61b3397..4093aee275 100644
--- a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/testdata/provider/local_readahead
+++ b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/testdata/provider/local_readahead
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ create 1 local 1 2000000
 <local fs> sync-data: p1/000001.sst
 <local fs> close: p1/000001.sst
 
-# We should see prefetch calls, and eventually a reopen
-# (with sequential reads option).
+# We should see prefetch calls, and eventually a reopen with sequential reads
+# option.
 read 1
 0 1000
 1000 15000
@@ -49,3 +49,18 @@ size: 2000000
 140000 80000: ok (salt 1)
 <local fs> close: p1/000001.sst
 <local fs> close: p1/000001.sst
+
+# We should directly see a reopen with sequential reads option.
+read 1 for-compaction
+0 1000
+1000 15000
+----
+<local fs> open: p1/000001.sst (options: *vfs.randomReadsOption)
+<local fs> open: p1/000001.sst (options: *vfs.sequentialReadsOption)
+size: 2000000
+<local fs> read-at(0, 1000): p1/000001.sst
+0 1000: ok (salt 1)
+<local fs> read-at(1000, 15000): p1/000001.sst
+1000 15000: ok (salt 1)
+<local fs> close: p1/000001.sst
+<local fs> close: p1/000001.sst
diff --git a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/vfs_readable.go b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/vfs_readable.go
index 936246466f..12ceee8e0b 100644
--- a/objstorage/objstorageprovider/vfs_readable.go
+++ b/objstorage/objstorageprovider/vfs_readable.go
@@ -76,8 +76,7 @@ func (r *fileReadable) Size() int64 {
 // NewReadHandle is part of the objstorage.Readable interface.
 func (r *fileReadable) NewReadHandle(_ context.Context) objstorage.ReadHandle {
 	rh := readHandlePool.Get().(*vfsReadHandle)
-	rh.r = r
-	rh.rs = makeReadaheadState(fileMaxReadaheadSize)
+	rh.init(r)
 	return rh
 }
 
@@ -108,6 +107,13 @@ var readHandlePool = sync.Pool{
 	},
 }
 
+func (rh *vfsReadHandle) init(r *fileReadable) {
+	*rh = vfsReadHandle{
+		r:  r,
+		rs: makeReadaheadState(fileMaxReadaheadSize),
+	}
+}
+
 // Close is part of the objstorage.ReadHandle interface.
 func (rh *vfsReadHandle) Close() error {
 	var err error
@@ -208,8 +214,7 @@ func UsePreallocatedReadHandle(
 	ctx context.Context, readable objstorage.Readable, rh *PreallocatedReadHandle,
 ) objstorage.ReadHandle {
 	if r, ok := readable.(*fileReadable); ok {
-		// See fileReadable.NewReadHandle.
-		rh.vfsReadHandle = vfsReadHandle{r: r}
+		rh.init(r)
 		return rh
 	}
 	return readable.NewReadHandle(ctx)
diff --git a/sstable/reader_iter_two_lvl.go b/sstable/reader_iter_two_lvl.go
index ed7cb2e2be..c090a3df41 100644
--- a/sstable/reader_iter_two_lvl.go
+++ b/sstable/reader_iter_two_lvl.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/internal/base"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/objstorage/objstorageprovider"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/pebble/objstorage/objstorageprovider/objiotracing"
 )
 
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ func (i *twoLevelIterator) init(
 		_ = i.topLevelIndex.Close()
 		return err
 	}
-	i.dataRH = r.readable.NewReadHandle(ctx)
+	i.dataRH = objstorageprovider.UsePreallocatedReadHandle(ctx, r.readable, &i.dataRHPrealloc)
 	if r.tableFormat >= TableFormatPebblev3 {
 		if r.Properties.NumValueBlocks > 0 {
 			i.vbReader = &valueBlockReader{