diff --git a/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm b/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm
index e83cbdcad..249923791 100644
--- a/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm
+++ b/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ - (void)_locked_setAnimatedImage:(id <ASAnimatedImageProtocol>)animatedImage
     [self animatedImageSet:animatedImage previousAnimatedImage:previousAnimatedImage];
 
     // Animated image can take while to dealloc, do it off the main queue
-    if (previousAnimatedImage != nil) {
+    if (previousAnimatedImage != nil && ASActivateExperimentalFeature(ASExperimentalOOMBackgroundDeallocDisable) == NO) {
       ASPerformBackgroundDeallocation(&previousAnimatedImage);
     }
   });
diff --git a/Source/ASImageNode.mm b/Source/ASImageNode.mm
index ce46ee64b..87ab41603 100644
--- a/Source/ASImageNode.mm
+++ b/Source/ASImageNode.mm
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ - (void)_locked_setImage:(UIImage *)image
   CGSize oldImageSize = oldImage.size;
   BOOL shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread = oldImageSize.width > kMinReleaseImageOnBackgroundSize.width
                                               || oldImageSize.height > kMinReleaseImageOnBackgroundSize.height;
-  if (shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread) {
+  if (shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread && ASActivateExperimentalFeature(ASExperimentalOOMBackgroundDeallocDisable) == NO) {
     ASPerformBackgroundDeallocation(&oldImage);
   }
 }
diff --git a/Source/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm b/Source/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
index 650627be3..6890ec467 100644
--- a/Source/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
+++ b/Source/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ - (void)_clearImage
   BOOL shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread = imageSize.width > kMinReleaseImageOnBackgroundSize.width ||
   imageSize.height > kMinReleaseImageOnBackgroundSize.height;
   [self _setImage:nil];
-  if (shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread) {
+  if (shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread && ASActivateExperimentalFeature(ASExperimentalOOMBackgroundDeallocDisable) == NO) {
     ASPerformBackgroundDeallocation(&image);
   }
 }