diff --git a/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm b/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm
index e83cbdca..24992379 100644
--- a/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm
+++ b/Source/ASImageNode+AnimatedImage.mm
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
     [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 ce46ee64..87ab4160 100644
--- a/Source/ASImageNode.mm
+++ b/Source/ASImageNode.mm
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ typedef void (^ASImageNodeDrawParametersBlock)(ASWeakMapEntry *entry);
   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 e7b69a7e..db88c9ce 100644
--- a/Source/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
+++ b/Source/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ typedef void(^ASMultiplexImageLoadCompletionBlock)(UIImage *image, id imageIdent
   BOOL shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread = imageSize.width > kMinReleaseImageOnBackgroundSize.width ||
   imageSize.height > kMinReleaseImageOnBackgroundSize.height;
   [self _setImage:nil];
-  if (shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread) {
+  if (shouldReleaseImageOnBackgroundThread && ASActivateExperimentalFeature(ASExperimentalOOMBackgroundDeallocDisable) == NO) {
     ASPerformBackgroundDeallocation(&image);
   }
 }