Embodiments of the present disclosure include techniques for cooperative memory management. In one embodiment, a database management system includes a memory manager for managing a memory buffer. The memory buffer is configured to allocate memory to table data and temporary data dynamically. In some embodiments, table data memory allocations are reduced and temporary data memory allocations are increased to process queries. Temporary data memory allocations may be increased to store temporary data associated with one or more portions of a query. The memory buffer reallocates table data memory allocations and temporary data memory allocations as needed to more efficiently use available memory.