diff --git a/distributed/comm/ucx.py b/distributed/comm/ucx.py
index 3e2c868e3d..6979cdd934 100644
--- a/distributed/comm/ucx.py
+++ b/distributed/comm/ucx.py
@@ -191,8 +191,9 @@ async def write(
 
                 # Send meta data
                 await self.ep.send(struct.pack("Q", nframes))
-                await self.ep.send(struct.pack(nframes * "?", *cuda_frames))
-                await self.ep.send(struct.pack(nframes * "Q", *sizes))
+                await self.ep.send(
+                    struct.pack(nframes * "?" + nframes * "Q", *cuda_frames, *sizes)
+                )
 
                 # Send frames
 
@@ -226,15 +227,11 @@ async def read(self, deserializers=("cuda", "dask", "pickle", "error")):
                 await self.ep.recv(nframes)
                 (nframes,) = struct.unpack(nframes_fmt, nframes)
 
-                cuda_frames_fmt = nframes * "?"
-                cuda_frames = host_array(struct.calcsize(cuda_frames_fmt))
-                await self.ep.recv(cuda_frames)
-                cuda_frames = struct.unpack(cuda_frames_fmt, cuda_frames)
-
-                sizes_fmt = nframes * "Q"
-                sizes = host_array(struct.calcsize(sizes_fmt))
-                await self.ep.recv(sizes)
-                sizes = struct.unpack(sizes_fmt, sizes)
+                header_fmt = nframes * "?" + nframes * "Q"
+                header = host_array(struct.calcsize(header_fmt))
+                await self.ep.recv(header)
+                header = struct.unpack(header_fmt, header)
+                cuda_frames, sizes = header[:nframes], header[nframes:]
             except (ucp.exceptions.UCXBaseException, CancelledError):
                 self.abort()
                 raise CommClosedError("While reading, the connection was closed")