diff --git a/imageringlist.cpp b/imageringlist.cpp
index e64af1d..071d5b7 100644
--- a/imageringlist.cpp
+++ b/imageringlist.cpp
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ Image::Image(const QString name, int number, ImageRingList *ringList) :
 {
 }
 
-void Image::load()
+void Image::load(QThreadPool *pool)
 {
     if(!m_rawImage && !m_loading)
     {
         m_loading = true;
         m_released = false;
-        QThreadPool::globalInstance()->start(new LoadRunable(m_name, this, m_ringList->analyzeLevel()));
+        pool->start(new LoadRunable(m_name, this, m_ringList->analyzeLevel()));
     }
     if(!m_loading && m_rawImage)
         emit pixmapLoaded(this);
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@ ImageRingList::ImageRingList(Database *database, const QStringList &nameFilter,
 {
     connect(&m_fileSystemWatcher, SIGNAL(directoryChanged(QString)), this, SLOT(dirChanged(QString)));
     m_nameFilter.replaceInStrings(QRegularExpression("^"), "*.");
+    m_loadPool = new QThreadPool(this);
+    m_loadPool->setThreadPriority(QThread::LowPriority);
     m_thumbPool = new QThreadPool(this);
+    m_thumbPool->setThreadPriority(QThread::LowPriority);
 
     m_slideShowTimer = new QTimer(this);
     connect(m_slideShowTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, static_cast<void (ImageRingList::*)()>(&ImageRingList::increment));
@@ -123,10 +126,10 @@ ImageRingList::ImageRingList(Database *database, const QStringList &nameFilter,
 
 ImageRingList::~ImageRingList()
 {
-    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->clear();
+    m_loadPool->clear();
     m_thumbPool->clear();
 
-    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->waitForDone();
+    m_loadPool->waitForDone();
     m_thumbPool->waitForDone();
 }
 
@@ -199,9 +202,9 @@ void ImageRingList::increment()
         (*m_firstImage)->release();
         m_firstImage = increment(m_firstImage);
         m_currImage = increment(m_currImage);
-        (*m_currImage)->load();
+        (*m_currImage)->load(m_loadPool);
         m_lastImage = increment(m_lastImage);
-        (*m_lastImage)->load();
+        (*m_lastImage)->load(m_loadPool);
     }
 }
 
@@ -212,9 +215,9 @@ void ImageRingList::decrement()
         (*m_lastImage)->release();
         m_firstImage = decrement(m_firstImage);
         m_currImage = decrement(m_currImage);
-        (*m_currImage)->load();
+        (*m_currImage)->load(m_loadPool);
         m_lastImage = decrement(m_lastImage);
-        (*m_firstImage)->load();
+        (*m_firstImage)->load(m_loadPool);
     }
 }
 
@@ -268,7 +271,7 @@ void ImageRingList::loadFile(int row)
             if(m_images.empty())
                 return;
 
-            (*m_currImage)->load();
+            (*m_currImage)->load(m_loadPool);
 
             m_width = DEFAULT_WIDTH<m_images.size()/2 ? DEFAULT_WIDTH : m_images.size()/2;
             if(m_liveMode)
@@ -277,9 +280,9 @@ void ImageRingList::loadFile(int row)
             for(int i=0; i<m_width; i++)
             {
                 m_firstImage = decrement(m_firstImage);
-                (*m_firstImage)->load();
+                (*m_firstImage)->load(m_loadPool);
                 m_lastImage = increment(m_lastImage);
-                (*m_lastImage)->load();
+                (*m_lastImage)->load(m_loadPool);
             }
             if(m_lastImage != m_firstImage)
             {
@@ -403,9 +406,9 @@ void ImageRingList::setPreload(int width)
         for(int i = newWidth - m_width; i>0; i--)
         {
             m_firstImage = decrement(m_firstImage);
-            (*m_firstImage)->load();
+            (*m_firstImage)->load(m_loadPool);
             m_lastImage = increment(m_lastImage);
-            (*m_lastImage)->load();
+            (*m_lastImage)->load(m_loadPool);
         }
     }
     if(newWidth < m_width)
@@ -460,9 +463,9 @@ void ImageRingList::toggleSlideshow(bool start)
 
 void ImageRingList::setFiles(const QStringList files, const QString &currentFile)
 {
-    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->clear();
+    m_loadPool->clear();
     m_thumbPool->clear();
-    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->waitForDone();
+    m_loadPool->waitForDone();
     m_thumbPool->waitForDone();
     beginResetModel();
     m_images.clear();
diff --git a/imageringlist.h b/imageringlist.h
index aa7d347..b835fe5 100644
--- a/imageringlist.h
+++ b/imageringlist.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class Image : public QObject
     ImageRingList *m_ringList;
 public:
     explicit Image(const QString name, int number, ImageRingList *ringList);
-    void load();
+    void load(QThreadPool *pool);
     void loadThumbnail(QThreadPool *pool);
     void release();
     QString name() const;
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class ImageRingList : public QAbstractItemModel
     QDir::SortFlag m_sort = QDir::Name;
     bool m_reversed = false;
     AnalyzeLevel m_analyzeLevel;
+    QThreadPool *m_loadPool;
     QThreadPool *m_thumbPool;
     Database *m_database;
     QStringList m_nameFilter;
diff --git a/scriptengine.cpp b/scriptengine.cpp
index 252d6f1..666e949 100644
--- a/scriptengine.cpp
+++ b/scriptengine.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ ScriptEngine::ScriptEngine(BatchProcessing *parent)
     _jsEngine->globalObject().setProperty("FITSRecordModify", fitsRecordObject);
     _database->init(QLatin1String("scriptengine"));
     _semaphore.release(_pool->maxThreadCount());
+    _pool->setThreadPriority(QThread::LowPriority);
 
 #ifdef PLATESOLVER
     _solver = new Solver(this);