diff --git a/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp b/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp
index 58bf31976..ebcfee71a 100644
--- a/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp
@@ -1046,6 +1046,17 @@ void GuiMenu::openOtherOptions()
         }
     });
 
+    // Whether to preload the gamelists on application startup.
+    auto preloadGamelists = std::make_shared<SwitchComponent>(mWindow);
+    preloadGamelists->setState(Settings::getInstance()->getBool("PreloadGamelists"));
+    s->addWithLabel("PRELOAD GAMELISTS ON STARTUP", preloadGamelists);
+    s->addSaveFunc([preloadGamelists, s] {
+        if (preloadGamelists->getState() != Settings::getInstance()->getBool("PreloadGamelists")) {
+            Settings::getInstance()->setBool("PreloadGamelists", preloadGamelists->getState());
+            s->setNeedsSaving();
+        }
+    });
+
     // Whether to enable alternative emulators per game (the option to disable this is intended
     // primarily for testing purposes).
     auto alternativeEmulatorPerGame = std::make_shared<SwitchComponent>(mWindow);
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
index 5daa8fdc9..366c30a81 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
@@ -961,7 +961,11 @@ void ViewController::preload()
                 std::to_string(systemCount) + ")");
         }
         (*it)->getIndex()->resetFilters();
-        getGameListView(*it);
+
+        if (Settings::getInstance()->getBool("PreloadGamelists"))
+            getGameListView(*it)->preloadGamelist();
+        else
+            getGameListView(*it);
     }
 
     // Load navigation sounds, either from the theme if it supports it, or otherwise from
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/DetailedGameListView.h b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/DetailedGameListView.h
index ed4db80c2..08302d5a7 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/DetailedGameListView.h
+++ b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/DetailedGameListView.h
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ public:
     virtual std::string getName() const override { return "detailed"; }
     virtual void launch(FileData* game) override;
 
+    virtual void preloadGamelist() override { updateInfoPanel(); }
+
 protected:
     virtual void update(int deltaTime) override;
 
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.h b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.h
index 853aa925e..212a062e9 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.h
+++ b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.h
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ public:
     void setTheme(const std::shared_ptr<ThemeData>& theme);
     const std::shared_ptr<ThemeData>& getTheme() const { return mTheme; }
 
+    virtual void preloadGamelist(){};
+
     virtual FileData* getCursor() = 0;
     virtual void setCursor(FileData*) = 0;
     virtual FileData* getNextEntry() = 0;
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/VideoGameListView.h b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/VideoGameListView.h
index 06d1c1034..e0d6775de 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/VideoGameListView.h
+++ b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/VideoGameListView.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ public:
     virtual std::string getName() const override { return "video"; }
     virtual void launch(FileData* game) override;
 
+    virtual void preloadGamelist() override { updateInfoPanel(); }
+
 protected:
     virtual void update(int deltaTime) override;
 
diff --git a/es-core/src/Settings.cpp b/es-core/src/Settings.cpp
index e7035633c..34c3a8c8b 100644
--- a/es-core/src/Settings.cpp
+++ b/es-core/src/Settings.cpp
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ void Settings::setDefaults()
     mBoolMap["VideoHardwareDecoding"] = {false, false};
 #endif
     mBoolMap["VideoUpscaleFrameRate"] = {false, false};
+    mBoolMap["PreloadGamelists"] = {true, true};
     mBoolMap["AlternativeEmulatorPerGame"] = {true, true};
     mBoolMap["ShowHiddenFiles"] = {true, true};
     mBoolMap["ShowHiddenGames"] = {true, true};