diff --git a/src/free.c b/src/free.c
index 1df10728..9ca71499 100644
--- a/src/free.c
+++ b/src/free.c
@@ -202,6 +202,14 @@ void mi_free(void* p) mi_attr_noexcept
 // Multi-threaded Free (`_mt`)
 // ------------------------------------------------------
 static bool mi_page_unown_from_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_block_t* mt_free);
+static bool inline mi_page_queue_len_is_atmost( mi_heap_t* heap, size_t block_size, size_t atmost) {  
+  mi_page_queue_t* const pq = mi_page_queue(heap,block_size);
+  mi_assert_internal(pq!=NULL);
+  for(mi_page_t* p = pq->first; p!=NULL; p = p->next, atmost--) {
+    if (atmost == 0) { return false; }
+  }
+  return true;
+}
 
 static void mi_decl_noinline mi_free_try_collect_mt(mi_page_t* page, mi_block_t* mt_free) mi_attr_noexcept {
   mi_assert_internal(mi_page_is_owned(page));
@@ -243,7 +251,7 @@ static void mi_decl_noinline mi_free_try_collect_mt(mi_page_t* page, mi_block_t*
     }
     // can we reclaim?
     if (heap != NULL && heap->allow_page_reclaim) {
-      if (heap == page->heap ||                  // only reclaim if we were the originating heap,
+      if ((heap == page->heap && mi_page_queue_len_is_atmost(heap, page->block_size, 4)) ||  // only reclaim if we were the originating heap, and we have at most N pages already
           (reclaim_on_free == 1 &&               // OR if the reclaim across heaps is allowed
            !mi_page_is_used_at_frac(page, 8) &&  //    and the page is not too full
            !heap->tld->is_in_threadpool &&       //    and not part of a threadpool
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index a61c2dc2..d1bdd716 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -172,9 +172,9 @@ static mi_option_desc_t options[_mi_option_last] =
   { 2,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_full_retain) },         // number of (small) pages to retain in the free page queues
   { 4,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_max_candidates) },      // max search to find a best page candidate
   { 0,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(max_vabits) },               // max virtual address space bits
-  { MI_DEFAULT_PAGEMAP_COMMIT,
+  { MI_DEFAULT_PAGEMAP_COMMIT, 
          UNINIT, MI_OPTION(pagemap_commit) },           // commit the full pagemap upfront?
-  { 2,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_commit_on_demand) },    // commit pages on-demand (2 disables this on overcommit systems (like Linux))
+  { 0,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_commit_on_demand) },    // commit pages on-demand (2 disables this on overcommit systems (like Linux))
 };
 
 static void mi_option_init(mi_option_desc_t* desc);