diff --git a/src/App.php b/src/App.php
index 0d860638b1..3d650abc1a 100644
--- a/src/App.php
+++ b/src/App.php
@@ -335,7 +335,14 @@ class App
 	 */
 	protected function load(DbaDefinition $dbaDefinition, ViewDefinition $viewDefinition)
 	{
-		set_time_limit(0);
+		if ($this->config->get('system', 'ini_max_execution_time') !== false) {
+			set_time_limit((int)$this->config->get('system', 'ini_max_execution_time'));
+		}
+
+		// This has to be quite large to deal with embedded private photos
+		if ($this->config->get('system', 'ini_pcre_backtrack_limit') !== false) {
+			ini_set('pcre.backtrack_limit', (int)$this->config->get('system', 'ini_pcre_backtrack_limit'));
+		}
 
 		// Normally this constant is defined - but not if "pcntl" isn't installed
 		if (!defined('SIGTERM')) {
@@ -345,9 +352,6 @@ class App
 		// Ensure that all "strtotime" operations do run timezone independent
 		date_default_timezone_set('UTC');
 
-		// This has to be quite large to deal with embedded private photos
-		ini_set('pcre.backtrack_limit', 500000);
-
 		set_include_path(
 			get_include_path() . PATH_SEPARATOR
 			. $this->getBasePath() . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'include' . PATH_SEPARATOR
diff --git a/static/defaults.config.php b/static/defaults.config.php
index 7e699fad71..2c2175b005 100644
--- a/static/defaults.config.php
+++ b/static/defaults.config.php
@@ -341,6 +341,14 @@ return [
 		// Resolve IPV4 addresses only. Don't resolve to IPV6.
 		'ipv4_resolve' => false,
 
+		// ini_max_execution_time (False|Integer)
+		// Set the number of seconds a script is allowed to run. Default unlimited for Friendica, False means disabled
+		'ini_max_execution_time' => 0,
+
+		// ini_pcre_backtrack_limit (False|Integer)
+		// This has to be quite large to deal with embedded private photos. False means disabled
+		'ini_pcre_backtrack_limit' => 500000,
+
 		// invitation_only (Boolean)
 		// If set true registration is only possible after a current member of the node has sent an invitation.
 		'invitation_only' => false,