diff --git a/plugins/image-source/data/locale/en-US.ini b/plugins/image-source/data/locale/en-US.ini
index fc453ae82..6b0d15579 100644
--- a/plugins/image-source/data/locale/en-US.ini
+++ b/plugins/image-source/data/locale/en-US.ini
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 ImageInput="Image"
 File="Image File"
+UnloadWhenNotShowing="Unload image when not showing"
diff --git a/plugins/image-source/image-source.c b/plugins/image-source/image-source.c
index 133a1dc0c..27bbab9fd 100644
--- a/plugins/image-source/image-source.c
+++ b/plugins/image-source/image-source.c
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 struct image_source {
 	obs_source_t *source;
 
+	char         *file;
+	bool         persistent;
+
 	gs_texture_t *tex;
 	uint32_t     cx;
 	uint32_t     cy;
@@ -24,19 +27,19 @@ static const char *image_source_get_name(void)
 	return obs_module_text("ImageInput");
 }
 
-static void image_source_update(void *data, obs_data_t *settings)
+static void image_source_load(struct image_source *context)
 {
-	struct image_source *context = data;
-	const char *file = obs_data_get_string(settings, "file");
+	char *file = context->file;
 
 	obs_enter_graphics();
 
-	if (context->tex) {
+	if (context->tex)
 		gs_texture_destroy(context->tex);
-		context->tex = NULL;
-	}
+	context->tex = NULL;
 
 	if (file && *file) {
+		debug("loading texture '%s'", file);
+
 		context->tex = gs_texture_create_from_file(file);
 		if (context->tex) {
 			context->cx = gs_texture_get_width(context->tex);
@@ -51,6 +54,56 @@ static void image_source_update(void *data, obs_data_t *settings)
 	obs_leave_graphics();
 }
 
+static void image_source_unload(struct image_source *context)
+{
+	obs_enter_graphics();
+
+	if (context->tex)
+		gs_texture_destroy(context->tex);
+	context->tex = NULL;
+
+	obs_leave_graphics();
+}
+
+static void image_source_update(void *data, obs_data_t *settings)
+{
+	struct image_source *context = data;
+	const char *file = obs_data_get_string(settings, "file");
+	const bool unload = obs_data_get_bool(settings, "unload");
+
+	if (context->file)
+		bfree(context->file);
+	context->file = bstrdup(file);
+	context->persistent = !unload;
+
+	/* Load the image if the source is persistent or showing */
+	if (context->persistent || obs_source_showing(context->source))
+		image_source_load(data);
+	else
+		image_source_unload(data);
+}
+
+static void image_source_defaults(obs_data_t *settings)
+{
+	obs_data_set_default_bool(settings, "unload", true);
+}
+
+static void image_source_show(void *data)
+{
+	struct image_source *context = data;
+
+	if (!context->persistent)
+		image_source_load(context);
+}
+
+static void image_source_hide(void *data)
+{
+	struct image_source *context = data;
+
+	if (!context->persistent)
+		image_source_unload(context);
+}
+
 static void *image_source_create(obs_data_t *settings, obs_source_t *source)
 {
 	struct image_source *context = bzalloc(sizeof(struct image_source));
@@ -64,10 +117,10 @@ static void image_source_destroy(void *data)
 {
 	struct image_source *context = data;
 
-	obs_enter_graphics();
-	gs_texture_destroy(context->tex);
-	obs_leave_graphics();
+	image_source_unload(context);
 
+	if (context->file)
+		bfree(context->file);
 	bfree(context);
 }
 
@@ -86,6 +139,7 @@ static uint32_t image_source_getheight(void *data)
 static void image_source_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 {
 	struct image_source *context = data;
+
 	if (!context->tex)
 		return;
 
@@ -112,6 +166,8 @@ static obs_properties_t *image_source_properties(void *unused)
 	obs_properties_add_path(props,
 			"file", obs_module_text("File"),
 			OBS_PATH_FILE, image_filter, NULL);
+	obs_properties_add_bool(props,
+			"unload", obs_module_text("UnloadWhenNotShowing"));
 
 	return props;
 }
@@ -124,6 +180,9 @@ static struct obs_source_info image_source_info = {
 	.create         = image_source_create,
 	.destroy        = image_source_destroy,
 	.update         = image_source_update,
+	.get_defaults   = image_source_defaults,
+	.show           = image_source_show,
+	.hide           = image_source_hide,
 	.get_width      = image_source_getwidth,
 	.get_height     = image_source_getheight,
 	.video_render   = image_source_render,