diff --git a/include/mimalloc/types.h b/include/mimalloc/types.h
index 0b084558..7009a017 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc/types.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc/types.h
@@ -400,6 +400,7 @@ struct mi_heap_s {
   size_t                page_count;                          // total number of pages in the `pages` queues.
   size_t                page_retired_min;                    // smallest retired index (retired pages are fully free, but still in the page queues)
   size_t                page_retired_max;                    // largest retired index into the `pages` array.
+  size_t                generic_count;                       // how often is mimalloc_generic invoked?
   mi_heap_t*            next;                                // list of heaps per thread
   long                  full_page_retain;                    // how many full pages can be retained per queue (before abondoning them)
   bool                  allow_page_reclaim;                  // `true` if this heap should not reclaim abandoned pages
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index 6bbea58e..5f3fb797 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ mi_decl_cache_align const mi_heap_t _mi_heap_empty = {
   { {0}, {0}, 0, true },  // random
   0,                      // page count
   MI_BIN_FULL, 0,         // page retired min/max
+  0,                      // generic count
   NULL,                   // next
   0,                      // full page retain
   false,                  // can reclaim
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ mi_decl_cache_align mi_heap_t heap_main = {
   { {0x846ca68b}, {0}, 0, true },  // random
   0,                      // page count
   MI_BIN_FULL, 0,         // page retired min/max
+  0,                      // generic count
   NULL,                   // next heap
   2,                      // full page retain
   true,                   // allow page reclaim
diff --git a/src/page.c b/src/page.c
index 31dbcc7d..c366439e 100644
--- a/src/page.c
+++ b/src/page.c
@@ -872,11 +872,14 @@ void* _mi_malloc_generic(mi_heap_t* heap, size_t size, bool zero, size_t huge_al
   }
   mi_assert_internal(mi_heap_is_initialized(heap));
 
-  // call potential deferred free routines
-  // _mi_deferred_free(heap, false);
-
-  // free delayed frees from other threads (but skip contended ones)
-  // _mi_heap_delayed_free_partial(heap);
+  // collect every N generic mallocs
+  if (heap->generic_count++ > 10000) {
+    heap->generic_count = 0;
+    // call potential deferred free routines
+    _mi_deferred_free(heap, false);
+    // collect retired pages
+    _mi_heap_collect_retired(heap, false);
+  }
 
   // find (or allocate) a page of the right size
   mi_page_t* page = mi_find_page(heap, size, huge_alignment);