diff --git a/include/mimalloc.h b/include/mimalloc.h
index ac89f89d..a2268850 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc.h
@@ -411,7 +411,8 @@ typedef enum mi_option_e {
   mi_option_max_vabits,                 // max user space virtual address bits to consider (=48)
   mi_option_pagemap_commit,             // commit the full pagemap (to always catch invalid pointer uses) (=0)
   mi_option_page_commit_on_demand,      // commit page memory on-demand
-  mi_option_page_max_reclaim,           // don't reclaim pages if we already own N pages (in that size class) (=16)
+  mi_option_page_max_reclaim,           // don't reclaim pages of the same originating heap if we already own N pages (in that size class) (=-1 (unlimited))
+  mi_option_page_cross_thread_max_reclaim, // don't reclaim pages across threads if we already own N pages (in that size class) (=16)
   _mi_option_last,
   // legacy option names
   mi_option_large_os_pages = mi_option_allow_large_os_pages,
diff --git a/src/free.c b/src/free.c
index 45ec5683..f4f8666b 100644
--- a/src/free.c
+++ b/src/free.c
@@ -191,10 +191,11 @@ 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 inline bool mi_page_queue_len_is_atmost( mi_heap_t* heap, size_t block_size, size_t atmost) {
+static inline bool mi_page_queue_len_is_atmost( mi_heap_t* heap, size_t block_size, long atmost) {
+  if (atmost < 0) return true; // unlimited
   mi_page_queue_t* const pq = mi_page_queue(heap,block_size);
   mi_assert_internal(pq!=NULL);
-  return (pq->count <= atmost);
+  return (pq->count <= (size_t)atmost);
   /*
   for(mi_page_t* p = pq->first; p!=NULL; p = p->next, atmost--) {
     if (atmost == 0) { return false; }
@@ -242,14 +243,14 @@ static void mi_decl_noinline mi_free_try_collect_mt(mi_page_t* page, mi_block_t*
           heap = _mi_heap_by_tag(heap, page->heap_tag);
         }
       }
-      // can we reclaim into this heap?
-      const long max_reclaim = _mi_option_get_fast(mi_option_page_max_reclaim);
-      if (heap != NULL && heap->allow_page_reclaim &&
-          (max_reclaim < 0 || mi_page_queue_len_is_atmost(heap, page->block_size, max_reclaim))) // we have less than N pages already
+      // can we reclaim into this heap?      
+      if (heap != NULL && heap->allow_page_reclaim)      
       {
-        if ((heap == page->heap) // always reclaim if we were the originating heap (todo: maybe not if in a threadpool?)
+        if ((heap == page->heap &&  // always reclaim if we were the originating heap (todo: maybe not if in a threadpool?)
+             mi_page_queue_len_is_atmost(heap, page->block_size, _mi_option_get_fast(mi_option_page_max_reclaim))) 
             || // OR:
             (reclaim_on_free == 1 &&               // reclaim across heaps is allowed
+              mi_page_queue_len_is_atmost(heap, page->block_size, _mi_option_get_fast(mi_option_page_cross_thread_max_reclaim)) &&
               !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
               _mi_arena_memid_is_suitable(page->memid, heap->exclusive_arena))  // and the memory is suitable
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index b618d195..5760ac5c 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -99,7 +99,11 @@ int mi_version(void) mi_attr_noexcept {
 #endif
 
 #ifndef MI_DEFAULT_PAGE_MAX_RECLAIM
-#define MI_DEFAULT_PAGE_MAX_RECLAIM  4096
+#define MI_DEFAULT_PAGE_MAX_RECLAIM  (-1)               // unlimited
+#endif
+
+#ifndef MI_DEFAULT_PAGE_CROSS_THREAD_MAX_RECLAIM
+#define MI_DEFAULT_PAGE_CROSS_THREAD_MAX_RECLAIM  16
 #endif
 
 // Static options
@@ -169,7 +173,9 @@ static mi_option_desc_t mi_options[_mi_option_last] =
          MI_OPTION_UNINIT, MI_OPTION(pagemap_commit) },           // commit the full pagemap upfront?
   { 0,   MI_OPTION_UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_commit_on_demand) },    // commit pages on-demand (2 disables this only on overcommit systems (like Linux))
   { MI_DEFAULT_PAGE_MAX_RECLAIM,
-         MI_OPTION_UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_max_reclaim) },         // don't reclaim (small) pages if we already own N pages in that size class
+         MI_OPTION_UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_max_reclaim) },         // don't reclaim (small) pages of the same originating heap if we already own N pages in that size class
+  { MI_DEFAULT_PAGE_CROSS_THREAD_MAX_RECLAIM,
+         MI_OPTION_UNINIT, MI_OPTION(page_cross_thread_max_reclaim) }, // don't reclaim (small) pages across threads if we already own N pages in that size class
 };
 
 static void mi_option_init(mi_option_desc_t* desc);