diff --git a/Zotlabs/Module/Settings/Display.php b/Zotlabs/Module/Settings/Display.php
index 3d804ebb8..98c3d7543 100644
--- a/Zotlabs/Module/Settings/Display.php
+++ b/Zotlabs/Module/Settings/Display.php
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ class Display {
 
 
 		$thread_allow      = ((!empty($_POST['thread_allow'])) ? intval($_POST['thread_allow']) : 0);
-		$preload_images    = ((x($_POST,'preload_images')) ? intval($_POST['preload_images'])  : 0);
 		$user_scalable     = ((x($_POST,'user_scalable')) ? intval($_POST['user_scalable'])  : 0);
 		$nosmile           = ((x($_POST,'nosmile')) ? intval($_POST['nosmile'])  : 0);
 		$title_tosource    = ((x($_POST,'title_tosource')) ? intval($_POST['title_tosource'])  : 0);
@@ -42,7 +41,6 @@ class Display {
 
 
 		set_pconfig(local_channel(), 'system', 'thread_allow', $thread_allow);
-		set_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','preload_images',$preload_images);
 		set_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','user_scalable',$user_scalable);
 		set_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','update_interval', $browser_update);
 		set_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','itemspage', $itemspage);
@@ -150,9 +148,6 @@ class Display {
 
 		$thread_allow = get_pconfig(local_channel(), 'system', 'thread_allow', true);
 
-		$preload_images = get_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','preload_images');
-		$preload_images = (($preload_images===false)? '0': $preload_images); // default if not set: 0
-
 		$user_scalable = get_pconfig(local_channel(),'system','user_scalable');
 		$user_scalable = (($user_scalable===false)? '0': $user_scalable); // default if not set: 0
 
@@ -197,7 +192,6 @@ class Display {
 			'$schema'   => (($schemas) ? array('schema', t('Select scheme'), $existing_schema, '' , $schemas) : false),
 
 			'$thread_allow' => ['thread_allow', t('Threaded conversation view'), $thread_allow, t('Display replies below their parent message (default yes)'), $yes_no],
-			'$preload_images' => array('preload_images', t("Preload images before rendering the page"), $preload_images, t("The subjective page load time will be longer but the page will be ready when displayed"), $yes_no),
 			'$user_scalable' => array('user_scalable', t("Enable user zoom on mobile devices"), $user_scalable, '', $yes_no),
 			'$ajaxint'   => array('browser_update',  t("Update browser every xx seconds"), $browser_update, t('Minimum of 10 seconds, no maximum')),
 			'$itemspage'   => array('itemspage',  t("Maximum number of conversations to load at any time:"), $itemspage, t('Maximum of 30 items')),
diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index 1226aa8e8..f14f7ac30 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -1214,8 +1214,6 @@ class App {
 
 		$user_scalable = ((local_channel()) ? get_pconfig(local_channel(), 'system', 'user_scalable', 0) : 0);
 
-		$preload_images = ((local_channel()) ? get_pconfig(local_channel(), 'system', 'preload_images', 0) : 0);
-
 		$interval = ((local_channel()) ? get_pconfig(local_channel(), 'system', 'update_interval') : 80000);
 		if ($interval < 10000) {
 			$interval = 80000;
diff --git a/view/js/main.js b/view/js/main.js
index 342649147..9a2a72d5c 100644
--- a/view/js/main.js
+++ b/view/js/main.js
@@ -1169,25 +1169,17 @@ function liveUpdate(notify_id) {
 		var dready = new Date();
 		console.log('DATA ready in: ' + (dready - dstart)/1000 + ' seconds.');
 
-		if(update_mode === 'update' || preloadImages) {
-			console.log('LOADING images...');
-			imagesLoaded(data, function () {
-				var iready = new Date();
-				console.log('IMAGES ready in: ' + (iready - dready)/1000 + ' seconds.');
+		console.log('LOADING images...');
+		imagesLoaded(data, function () {
+			var iready = new Date();
+			console.log('IMAGES ready in: ' + (iready - dready)/1000 + ' seconds.');
 
-				page_load = false;
-				scroll_next = false;
-				updateConvItems(update_mode,data);
-
-				in_progress = false;
-			});
-		}
-		else {
 			page_load = false;
 			scroll_next = false;
 			updateConvItems(update_mode,data);
+
 			in_progress = false;
-		}
+		});
 
 	});
 }
diff --git a/view/tpl/head.tpl b/view/tpl/head.tpl
index 18941f454..f34d0564e 100644
--- a/view/tpl/head.tpl
+++ b/view/tpl/head.tpl
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 	var justifiedGalleryActive = false;
 	{{if $channel_hash}}var channelHash = '{{$channel_hash}}';{{/if}}
 	var channelId = {{if $channel_id}}{{$channel_id}}{{else}}false{{/if}};{{* Used in e.g. autocomplete *}}
-	var preloadImages = {{$preload_images}};
 	var auto_save_draft = {{$auto_save_draft}};
 	{{if $module}}var module = '{{$module}}';{{/if}}
 </script>
diff --git a/view/tpl/settings_display.tpl b/view/tpl/settings_display.tpl
index 2d598f52e..f77dfd409 100644
--- a/view/tpl/settings_display.tpl
+++ b/view/tpl/settings_display.tpl
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@
 						{{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$nosmile}}
 						{{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$title_tosource}}
 						{{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$user_scalable}}
-						{{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$preload_images}}
 						{{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$start_menu}}
 						{{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$thread_allow}}
 						<div class="settings-submit-wrapper" >