diff --git a/src/ImageSharp/Configuration.cs b/src/ImageSharp/Configuration.cs
index 0ac4c29eae..3d9552e423 100644
--- a/src/ImageSharp/Configuration.cs
+++ b/src/ImageSharp/Configuration.cs
@@ -94,6 +94,14 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp
             }
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets a value indicating whether to force image buffers to be contiguous whenever possible.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// Contiguous allocations are not possible, if the image needs a buffer larger than <see cref="int.MaxValue"/>.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public bool PreferContiguousImageBuffers { get; set; }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets a set of properties for the Configuration.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/ImageSharp/ImageFrame{TPixel}.cs b/src/ImageSharp/ImageFrame{TPixel}.cs
index b29608f62a..949b8999a5 100644
--- a/src/ImageSharp/ImageFrame{TPixel}.cs
+++ b/src/ImageSharp/ImageFrame{TPixel}.cs
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp
             Guard.MustBeGreaterThan(width, 0, nameof(width));
             Guard.MustBeGreaterThan(height, 0, nameof(height));
 
-            this.PixelBuffer = this.GetConfiguration().MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<TPixel>(width, height, AllocationOptions.Clean);
+            this.PixelBuffer = this.GetConfiguration().MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<TPixel>(
+                width,
+                height,
+                configuration.PreferContiguousImageBuffers,
+                AllocationOptions.Clean);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -87,7 +91,10 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp
             Guard.MustBeGreaterThan(width, 0, nameof(width));
             Guard.MustBeGreaterThan(height, 0, nameof(height));
 
-            this.PixelBuffer = this.GetConfiguration().MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<TPixel>(width, height);
+            this.PixelBuffer = this.GetConfiguration().MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<TPixel>(
+                width,
+                height,
+                configuration.PreferContiguousImageBuffers);
             this.Clear(backgroundColor);
         }
 
@@ -131,7 +138,10 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp
             Guard.NotNull(configuration, nameof(configuration));
             Guard.NotNull(source, nameof(source));
 
-            this.PixelBuffer = this.GetConfiguration().MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<TPixel>(source.PixelBuffer.Width, source.PixelBuffer.Height);
+            this.PixelBuffer = this.GetConfiguration().MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<TPixel>(
+                source.PixelBuffer.Width,
+                source.PixelBuffer.Height,
+                configuration.PreferContiguousImageBuffers);
             source.PixelBuffer.FastMemoryGroup.CopyTo(this.PixelBuffer.FastMemoryGroup);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/ImageSharp/Memory/MemoryAllocatorExtensions.cs b/src/ImageSharp/Memory/MemoryAllocatorExtensions.cs
index 9cf1af659f..abcf078ac7 100644
--- a/src/ImageSharp/Memory/MemoryAllocatorExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/ImageSharp/Memory/MemoryAllocatorExtensions.cs
@@ -20,20 +20,68 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Memory
         /// <param name="memoryAllocator">The memory allocator.</param>
         /// <param name="width">The buffer width.</param>
         /// <param name="height">The buffer height.</param>
+        /// <param name="preferContiguosImageBuffers">A value indicating whether the allocated buffer should be contiguous, unless bigger than <see cref="int.MaxValue"/>.</param>
         /// <param name="options">The allocation options.</param>
         /// <returns>The <see cref="Buffer2D{T}"/>.</returns>
         public static Buffer2D<T> Allocate2D<T>(
             this MemoryAllocator memoryAllocator,
             int width,
             int height,
+            bool preferContiguosImageBuffers,
             AllocationOptions options = AllocationOptions.None)
             where T : struct
         {
             long groupLength = (long)width * height;
-            MemoryGroup<T> memoryGroup = memoryAllocator.AllocateGroup<T>(groupLength, width, options);
+            MemoryGroup<T> memoryGroup;
+            if (preferContiguosImageBuffers && groupLength < int.MaxValue)
+            {
+                IMemoryOwner<T> buffer = memoryAllocator.Allocate<T>((int)groupLength, options);
+                memoryGroup = MemoryGroup<T>.CreateContiguous(buffer, false);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                memoryGroup = memoryAllocator.AllocateGroup<T>(groupLength, width, options);
+            }
+
             return new Buffer2D<T>(memoryGroup, width, height);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Allocates a buffer of value type objects interpreted as a 2D region
+        /// of <paramref name="width"/> x <paramref name="height"/> elements.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <typeparam name="T">The type of buffer items to allocate.</typeparam>
+        /// <param name="memoryAllocator">The memory allocator.</param>
+        /// <param name="width">The buffer width.</param>
+        /// <param name="height">The buffer height.</param>
+        /// <param name="options">The allocation options.</param>
+        /// <returns>The <see cref="Buffer2D{T}"/>.</returns>
+        public static Buffer2D<T> Allocate2D<T>(
+            this MemoryAllocator memoryAllocator,
+            int width,
+            int height,
+            AllocationOptions options = AllocationOptions.None)
+            where T : struct =>
+            Allocate2D<T>(memoryAllocator, width, height, false, options);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Allocates a buffer of value type objects interpreted as a 2D region
+        /// of <paramref name="size"/> width x <paramref name="size"/> height elements.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <typeparam name="T">The type of buffer items to allocate.</typeparam>
+        /// <param name="memoryAllocator">The memory allocator.</param>
+        /// <param name="size">The buffer size.</param>
+        /// <param name="preferContiguosImageBuffers">A value indicating whether the allocated buffer should be contiguous, unless bigger than <see cref="int.MaxValue"/>.</param>
+        /// <param name="options">The allocation options.</param>
+        /// <returns>The <see cref="Buffer2D{T}"/>.</returns>
+        public static Buffer2D<T> Allocate2D<T>(
+            this MemoryAllocator memoryAllocator,
+            Size size,
+            bool preferContiguosImageBuffers,
+            AllocationOptions options = AllocationOptions.None)
+            where T : struct =>
+            Allocate2D<T>(memoryAllocator, size.Width, size.Height, preferContiguosImageBuffers, options);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Allocates a buffer of value type objects interpreted as a 2D region
         /// of <paramref name="size"/> width x <paramref name="size"/> height elements.
@@ -48,7 +96,7 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Memory
             Size size,
             AllocationOptions options = AllocationOptions.None)
             where T : struct =>
-            Allocate2D<T>(memoryAllocator, size.Width, size.Height, options);
+            Allocate2D<T>(memoryAllocator, size.Width, size.Height, false, options);
 
         internal static Buffer2D<T> Allocate2DOveraligned<T>(
             this MemoryAllocator memoryAllocator,
diff --git a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/ImageFrameCollectionTests.Generic.cs b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/ImageFrameCollectionTests.Generic.cs
index dd8275ee8e..50b21ba8d6 100644
--- a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/ImageFrameCollectionTests.Generic.cs
+++ b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/ImageFrameCollectionTests.Generic.cs
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
 
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using SixLabors.ImageSharp.Advanced;
 using SixLabors.ImageSharp.PixelFormats;
-
+using SixLabors.ImageSharp.Tests.Memory;
 using Xunit;
 
 namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Tests
@@ -339,6 +340,26 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Tests
                 Assert.False(this.Image.Frames.Contains(frame));
             }
 
+            [Fact]
+            public void PreferContiguousImageBuffers_True_AppliedToAllFrames()
+            {
+                Configuration configuration = Configuration.Default.Clone();
+                configuration.MemoryAllocator = new TestMemoryAllocator { BufferCapacityInBytes = 1000 };
+                configuration.PreferContiguousImageBuffers = true;
+
+                using var image = new Image<Rgba32>(configuration, 100, 100);
+                image.Frames.CreateFrame();
+                image.Frames.InsertFrame(0, image.Frames[0]);
+                image.Frames.CreateFrame(Color.Red);
+
+                Assert.Equal(4, image.Frames.Count);
+                IEnumerable<ImageFrame<Rgba32>> frames = image.Frames;
+                foreach (ImageFrame<Rgba32> frame in frames)
+                {
+                    Assert.True(frame.TryGetSinglePixelSpan(out Span<Rgba32> span));
+                }
+            }
+
             [Fact]
             public void DisposeCall_NoThrowIfCalledMultiple()
             {
diff --git a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/LargeImageIntegrationTests.cs b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/LargeImageIntegrationTests.cs
index 09ed2afa52..f6656ec5fc 100644
--- a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/LargeImageIntegrationTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Image/LargeImageIntegrationTests.cs
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Tests
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public unsafe void Set_MaximumPoolSizeMegabytes_CreateImage_MaximumPoolSizeMegabytes()
+        public void PreferContiguousImageBuffers_CreateImage_MaximumPoolSizeMegabytes()
         {
+            // Run remotely to avoid large allocation in the test process:
             RemoteExecutor.Invoke(RunTest).Dispose();
 
             static void RunTest()
             {
-                Configuration.Default.MemoryAllocator = MemoryAllocator.CreateDefault(new MemoryAllocatorOptions()
-                {
-                    MinimumContiguousBlockSizeBytes = sizeof(Rgba32) * 8192 * 4096
-                });
-                using Image<Rgba32> image = new Image<Rgba32>(8192, 4096);
+                Configuration configuration = Configuration.Default.Clone();
+                configuration.PreferContiguousImageBuffers = true;
+
+                using var image = new Image<Rgba32>(configuration, 8192, 4096);
                 Assert.True(image.TryGetSinglePixelSpan(out Span<Rgba32> span));
                 Assert.Equal(8192 * 4096, span.Length);
             }
diff --git a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Memory/Buffer2DTests.cs b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Memory/Buffer2DTests.cs
index 845ea9ca40..04abc6585e 100644
--- a/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Memory/Buffer2DTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ImageSharp.Tests/Memory/Buffer2DTests.cs
@@ -68,6 +68,25 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.Tests.Memory
             }
         }
 
+        [Theory]
+        [InlineData(false)]
+        [InlineData(true)]
+        public void Construct_PreferContiguousImageBuffers_AllocatesContiguousRegardlessOfCapacity(bool useSizeOverload)
+        {
+            this.MemoryAllocator.BufferCapacityInBytes = 10_000;
+
+            using Buffer2D<byte> buffer = useSizeOverload ?
+                this.MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<byte>(
+                    new Size(200, 200),
+                    preferContiguosImageBuffers: true) :
+                this.MemoryAllocator.Allocate2D<byte>(
+                200,
+                200,
+                preferContiguosImageBuffers: true);
+            Assert.Equal(1, buffer.FastMemoryGroup.Count);
+            Assert.Equal(200 * 200, buffer.FastMemoryGroup.TotalLength);
+        }
+
         [Theory]
         [InlineData(50, 10, 20, 4)]
         public void Allocate2DOveraligned(int bufferCapacity, int width, int height, int alignmentMultiplier)