diff --git a/shell/android/AndroidManifest.xml b/shell/android/AndroidManifest.xml
index a05dd9e19..5d6f3f570 100644
--- a/shell/android/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/shell/android/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
   
     <application
         android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
+        android:largeHeap="true" 
         android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
         android:label="@string/app_name"
         android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
diff --git a/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/GL2JNIView.java b/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/GL2JNIView.java
index 1a2ccb107..9c2d792ee 100644
--- a/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/GL2JNIView.java
+++ b/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/GL2JNIView.java
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ class GL2JNIView extends GLSurfaceView
     this.editVjoyMode = editVjoyMode;
     setKeepScreenOn(true);
     vib=(Vibrator) context.getSystemService(Context.VIBRATOR_SERVICE);
+    
+    Runtime.getRuntime().freeMemory();
+	System.gc();
 
     SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
     touchVibrationEnabled = prefs.getBoolean("touch_vibration_enabled", true);
diff --git a/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/InputModFragment.java b/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/InputModFragment.java
index 952d34fe9..18e7d739d 100644
--- a/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/InputModFragment.java
+++ b/shell/android/src/com/reicast/emulator/InputModFragment.java
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ public class InputModFragment extends Fragment {
 	@Override
 	public void onViewCreated(View view, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
 		parentActivity = getActivity();
+		
+		Runtime.getRuntime().freeMemory();
+		System.gc();
 
 		mPrefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(parentActivity);
 
@@ -348,6 +351,7 @@ public class InputModFragment extends Fragment {
 	}
 
 	private Drawable getButtonImage(int x, int y) {
+		System.gc();
 		try {
 			InputStream bitmap = parentActivity.getAssets().open("buttons.png");
 			BitmapFactory.Options options = new BitmapFactory.Options();
@@ -355,6 +359,7 @@ public class InputModFragment extends Fragment {
 			Bitmap image = BitmapFactory.decodeStream(bitmap, null, options);
 			bitmap.close();
 			bitmap = null;
+			System.gc();
 			Matrix matrix = new Matrix();
 			matrix.postScale(32, 32);
 			Bitmap resizedBitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(image, x, y, 64 / sS,