diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp
index bf5ad233d6..7b15f0df26 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ AnimationReader::AnimationReader(const QUrl& url, const QByteArray& data) :
 }
 
 void AnimationReader::run() {
+    auto originalPriority = QThread::currentThread()->priority();
+    if (originalPriority == QThread::InheritPriority) {
+        originalPriority = QThread::NormalPriority;
+    }
     try {
         if (_data.isEmpty()) {
             throw QString("Reply is NULL ?!");
@@ -73,6 +77,7 @@ void AnimationReader::run() {
     } catch (const QString& error) {
         emit onError(299, error);
     }
+    QThread::currentThread()->setPriority(originalPriority);
 }
 
 bool Animation::isLoaded() const {
diff --git a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
index 2b425351f1..c4dc7ebccf 100644
--- a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ GeometryReader::GeometryReader(const QUrl& url, const QByteArray& data, const QV
 }
 
 void GeometryReader::run() {
+    auto originalPriority = QThread::currentThread()->priority();
+    if (originalPriority == QThread::InheritPriority) {
+        originalPriority = QThread::NormalPriority;
+    }
+    QThread::currentThread()->setPriority(QThread::LowPriority);
     try {
         if (_data.isEmpty()) {
             throw QString("Reply is NULL ?!");
@@ -82,6 +87,8 @@ void GeometryReader::run() {
         qCDebug(modelnetworking) << "Error reading " << _url << ": " << error;
         emit onError(NetworkGeometry::ModelParseError, error);
     }
+
+    QThread::currentThread()->setPriority(originalPriority);
 }
 
 NetworkGeometry::NetworkGeometry(const QUrl& url, bool delayLoad, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QUrl& textureBaseUrl) :
diff --git a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/TextureCache.cpp b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/TextureCache.cpp
index 60f6d50d59..8201339e93 100644
--- a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/TextureCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/TextureCache.cpp
@@ -268,6 +268,12 @@ void ImageReader::listSupportedImageFormats() {
 }
 
 void ImageReader::run() {
+    auto originalPriority = QThread::currentThread()->priority();
+    if (originalPriority == QThread::InheritPriority) {
+        originalPriority = QThread::NormalPriority;
+    }
+    QThread::currentThread()->setPriority(QThread::LowPriority);
+
     auto texture = _texture.toStrongRef();
     if (!texture) {
         qCWarning(modelnetworking) << "Could not get strong ref";
@@ -306,6 +312,7 @@ void ImageReader::run() {
         Q_ARG(const QImage&, image),
         Q_ARG(void*, theTexture),
         Q_ARG(int, originalWidth), Q_ARG(int, originalHeight));
+    QThread::currentThread()->setPriority(originalPriority);
 }
 
 void NetworkTexture::setImage(const QImage& image, void* voidTexture, int originalWidth,