diff --git a/include/mimalloc-internal.h b/include/mimalloc-internal.h
index 9fa37108..f06ce230 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc-internal.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc-internal.h
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ void       _mi_page_abandon(mi_page_t* page, mi_page_queue_t* pq);            //
 void       _mi_heap_delayed_free(mi_heap_t* heap);
 void       _mi_heap_collect_retired(mi_heap_t* heap, bool force);
 
-void       _mi_page_use_delayed_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_delayed_t delay, bool override_never);
+bool       _mi_page_use_delayed_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_delayed_t delay, bool override_never, bool cancel_if_locked);
 size_t     _mi_page_queue_append(mi_heap_t* heap, mi_page_queue_t* pq, mi_page_queue_t* append);
 void       _mi_deferred_free(mi_heap_t* heap, bool force);
 
diff --git a/include/mimalloc.h b/include/mimalloc.h
index 33548339..d604d31f 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc.h
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ typedef enum mi_option_e {
   mi_option_max_errors,
   mi_option_max_warnings,
   mi_option_max_segment_reclaim,
+  mi_option_skip_recycle_if_busy,
   _mi_option_last
 } mi_option_t;
 
diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index 19844849..de722445 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -503,7 +503,15 @@ bool _mi_free_delayed_block(mi_block_t* block) {
   // some blocks may end up in the page `thread_free` list with no blocks in the
   // heap `thread_delayed_free` list which may cause the page to be never freed!
   // (it would only be freed if we happen to scan it in `mi_page_queue_find_free_ex`)
-  _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_USE_DELAYED_FREE, false /* dont overwrite never delayed */);
+  //
+  // Note that on systems with oversubscribed cores, this may cause stalls if the lock
+  // is currently held by another thread that has been suspended. You can set the
+  // option `skip_recycle_if_busy` to mitigate this, at the cost of further delaying
+  // the reuse of those blocks.
+  //
+  if (!_mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_USE_DELAYED_FREE, false /* dont overwrite never delayed */, mi_option_is_enabled(mi_option_skip_recycle_if_busy))) {
+    return false;
+  }
 
   // collect all other non-local frees to ensure up-to-date `used` count
   _mi_page_free_collect(page, false);
diff --git a/src/heap.c b/src/heap.c
index 45cb14c1..eb2522c4 100644
--- a/src/heap.c
+++ b/src/heap.c
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ static bool mi_heap_page_never_delayed_free(mi_heap_t* heap, mi_page_queue_t* pq
   MI_UNUSED(arg2);
   MI_UNUSED(heap);
   MI_UNUSED(pq);
-  _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_NEVER_DELAYED_FREE, false);
+  _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_NEVER_DELAYED_FREE, false, false);
   return true; // don't break
 }
 
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ static bool _mi_heap_page_destroy(mi_heap_t* heap, mi_page_queue_t* pq, mi_page_
   MI_UNUSED(pq);
 
   // ensure no more thread_delayed_free will be added
-  _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_NEVER_DELAYED_FREE, false);
+  _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_NEVER_DELAYED_FREE, false, false);
 
   // stats
   const size_t bsize = mi_page_block_size(page);
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index e5951be4..632cad0d 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ static mi_option_desc_t options[_mi_option_last] =
   { 100, UNINIT, MI_OPTION(os_tag) },            // only apple specific for now but might serve more or less related purpose
   { 16,  UNINIT, MI_OPTION(max_errors) },        // maximum errors that are output
   { 16,  UNINIT, MI_OPTION(max_warnings) },      // maximum warnings that are output
-  { 8,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(max_segment_reclaim)} // max. number of segment reclaims from the abandoned segments per try.
+  { 8,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(max_segment_reclaim)}, // max. number of segment reclaims from the abandoned segments per try.
+  { 0,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(skip_recycle_if_busy)} // skip recycling memory from other threads on alloc if other thread owns lock
 };
 
 static void mi_option_init(mi_option_desc_t* desc);
diff --git a/src/page-queue.c b/src/page-queue.c
index 26b10800..5129a03a 100644
--- a/src/page-queue.c
+++ b/src/page-queue.c
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ size_t _mi_page_queue_append(mi_heap_t* heap, mi_page_queue_t* pq, mi_page_queue
     // set the flag to delayed free (not overriding NEVER_DELAYED_FREE) which has as a
     // side effect that it spins until any DELAYED_FREEING is finished. This ensures
     // that after appending only the new heap will be used for delayed free operations.
-    _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_USE_DELAYED_FREE, false);
+    _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_USE_DELAYED_FREE, false, false);
     count++;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/page.c b/src/page.c
index 357e05e1..9b00ef5e 100644
--- a/src/page.c
+++ b/src/page.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ bool _mi_page_is_valid(mi_page_t* page) {
 }
 #endif
 
-void _mi_page_use_delayed_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_delayed_t delay, bool override_never) {
+bool _mi_page_use_delayed_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_delayed_t delay, bool override_never, bool cancel_if_locked) {
   mi_thread_free_t tfreex;
   mi_delayed_t     old_delay;
   mi_thread_free_t tfree;  
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ void _mi_page_use_delayed_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_delayed_t delay, bool overrid
     tfreex = mi_tf_set_delayed(tfree, delay);
     old_delay = mi_tf_delayed(tfree);
     if mi_unlikely(old_delay == MI_DELAYED_FREEING) {
+      if (cancel_if_locked) {
+        return false;
+      }
       mi_atomic_yield(); // delay until outstanding MI_DELAYED_FREEING are done.
       // tfree = mi_tf_set_delayed(tfree, MI_NO_DELAYED_FREE); // will cause CAS to busy fail
     }
@@ -142,6 +145,8 @@ void _mi_page_use_delayed_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_delayed_t delay, bool overrid
     }
   } while ((old_delay == MI_DELAYED_FREEING) ||
            !mi_atomic_cas_weak_release(&page->xthread_free, &tfree, tfreex));
+
+  return true;
 }
 
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/segment.c b/src/segment.c
index f9edf04a..c8b3ef9c 100644
--- a/src/segment.c
+++ b/src/segment.c
@@ -1066,7 +1066,7 @@ static mi_segment_t* mi_segment_reclaim(mi_segment_t* segment, mi_heap_t* heap,
       _mi_stat_decrease(&tld->stats->pages_abandoned, 1);
       // set the heap again and allow heap thread delayed free again.
       mi_page_set_heap(page, heap);
-      _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_USE_DELAYED_FREE, true); // override never (after heap is set)
+      _mi_page_use_delayed_free(page, MI_USE_DELAYED_FREE, true, false); // override never (after heap is set)
       // TODO: should we not collect again given that we just collected in `check_free`?
       _mi_page_free_collect(page, false); // ensure used count is up to date
       if (mi_page_all_free(page)) {