diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/download/DownloadManager.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/download/DownloadManager.java
index 5523351e70..9f2c58ee7f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/download/DownloadManager.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/download/DownloadManager.java
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.lang.reflect.Type;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
-import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.database.models.Chapter;
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.database.models.Manga;
@@ -28,6 +26,7 @@ import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.source.base.Source;
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.source.model.Page;
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.event.DownloadChaptersEvent;
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.DiskUtils;
+import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.DynamicConcurrentMergeOperator;
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.UrlUtil;
 import rx.Observable;
 import rx.Subscription;
@@ -48,11 +47,12 @@ public class DownloadManager {
     private BehaviorSubject<Boolean> runningSubject;
     private Subscription downloadsSubscription;
 
+    private BehaviorSubject<Integer> threadsSubject;
+    private Subscription threadsSubscription;
+
     private DownloadQueue queue;
     private volatile boolean isRunning;
 
-    private ExecutorService threadPool;
-
     public static final String PAGE_LIST_FILE = "index.json";
 
     public DownloadManager(Context context, SourceManager sourceManager, PreferencesHelper preferences) {
@@ -65,17 +65,19 @@ public class DownloadManager {
 
         downloadsQueueSubject = PublishSubject.create();
         runningSubject = BehaviorSubject.create();
+        threadsSubject = BehaviorSubject.create();
     }
 
     private void initializeSubscriptions() {
         if (downloadsSubscription != null && !downloadsSubscription.isUnsubscribed())
             downloadsSubscription.unsubscribe();
 
-        threadPool = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(preferences.downloadThreads());
+        threadsSubscription = preferences.downloadThreads().asObservable()
+                .subscribe(threadsSubject::onNext);
 
         downloadsSubscription = downloadsQueueSubject
                 .flatMap(Observable::from)
-                .flatMap(c -> downloadChapter(c).subscribeOn(Schedulers.from(threadPool)))
+                .lift(new DynamicConcurrentMergeOperator<>(this::downloadChapter, threadsSubject))
                 .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
                 .map(download -> areAllDownloadsFinished())
                 .subscribe(finished -> {
@@ -101,9 +103,10 @@ public class DownloadManager {
             downloadsSubscription = null;
         }
 
-        if (threadPool != null && !threadPool.isShutdown()) {
-            threadPool.shutdown();
+        if (threadsSubscription != null && !threadsSubscription.isUnsubscribed()) {
+            threadsSubscription.unsubscribe();
         }
+
     }
 
     // Create a download object for every chapter in the event and add them to the downloads queue
@@ -208,7 +211,8 @@ public class DownloadManager {
                 .onErrorResumeNext(error -> {
                     download.setStatus(Download.ERROR);
                     return Observable.just(download);
-                }));
+                }))
+                .subscribeOn(Schedulers.io());
     }
 
     // Get the image from the filesystem if it exists or download from network
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.java
index 6963fc2a36..af8001c573 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.java
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ public class PreferencesHelper {
         prefs.edit().putString(getKey(R.string.pref_download_directory_key), path).apply();
     }
 
-    public int downloadThreads() {
-        return prefs.getInt(getKey(R.string.pref_download_slots_key), 1);
+    public Preference<Integer> downloadThreads() {
+        return rxPrefs.getInteger(getKey(R.string.pref_download_slots_key), 1);
     }
 
     public boolean downloadOnlyOverWifi() {