Devices, methods, and media are described for runtime memory allocation to avoid defects. One embodiment includes assigning a plurality of memory blocks of a memory sub-system to a plurality of erase groups, such that each erase group of the plurality of erase groups comprises two or more memory blocks of the plurality of memory blocks. A bad block association is determined for each erase group of the plurality of erase groups. Prior to a memory condition being met, memory resources of the memory sub-system are allocated by erase group based on a first set of criteria which are based at least in part on the bad block association for each erase group in order to prioritize use of erase groups with fewer bad blocks. After the memory condition has been met, the memory resources of the memory sub-system are then allocated by erase group according to a second set of criteria, wherein the second set of criteria allocates the memory resources irrespective of bad block association for each erase group after the determining that the memory condition has been met.