diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.cpp b/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.cpp
index db60a475ed..36de6b23a0 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@
 #else
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <sys/mman.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+#include <sys/sysctl.h>
+#else
+#include <sys/sysinfo.h>
+#endif
 #endif
 
 // Valgrind doesn't support MAP_32BIT.
@@ -241,3 +247,26 @@ std::string MemUsage()
 	return "";
 #endif
 }
+
+
+size_t MemPhysical()
+{
+#ifdef _WIN32
+	MEMORYSTATUSEX memInfo;
+	memInfo.dwLength = sizeof(MEMORYSTATUSEX);
+	GlobalMemoryStatusEx(&memInfo);
+	return memInfo.ullTotalPhys;
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+	int mib[2];
+	size_t physical_memory;
+	mib[0] = CTL_HW;
+	mib[1] = HW_MEMSIZE;
+	size_t length = sizeof(size_t);
+	sysctl(mib, 2, &physical_memory, &length, NULL, 0);
+	return physical_memory;
+#else
+	struct sysinfo memInfo;
+	sysinfo (&memInfo);
+	return (size_t)memInfo.totalram * memInfo.mem_unit;
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.h b/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.h
index 5f584f868d..49a55756c0 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/MemoryUtil.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ void ReadProtectMemory(void* ptr, size_t size);
 void WriteProtectMemory(void* ptr, size_t size, bool executable = false);
 void UnWriteProtectMemory(void* ptr, size_t size, bool allowExecute = false);
 std::string MemUsage();
+size_t MemPhysical();
 
 void GuardMemoryMake(void* ptr, size_t size);
 void GuardMemoryUnmake(void* ptr, size_t size);
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/HiresTextures.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/HiresTextures.cpp
index d29bde1b12..3e163f34ee 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/HiresTextures.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/HiresTextures.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "Common/FileSearch.h"
 #include "Common/FileUtil.h"
 #include "Common/Flag.h"
+#include "Common/MemoryUtil.h"
 #include "Common/StringUtil.h"
 #include "Common/Thread.h"
 #include "Common/Timer.h"
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ void HiresTexture::Prefetch()
 	Common::SetCurrentThreadName("Prefetcher");
 
 	size_t size_sum = 0;
+	size_t max_mem = MemPhysical() / 2;
 	u32 starttime = Common::Timer::GetTimeMs();
 	for (const auto& entry : s_textureMap)
 	{
@@ -203,6 +205,14 @@ void HiresTexture::Prefetch()
 		{
 			return;
 		}
+
+		if (size_sum > max_mem)
+		{
+			g_Config.bCacheHiresTextures = false;
+
+			OSD::AddMessage(StringFromFormat("Custom Textures prefetching after %.1f MB aborted, not enough RAM available", size_sum / (1024.0 * 1024.0)), 10000);
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 	u32 stoptime = Common::Timer::GetTimeMs();
 	OSD::AddMessage(StringFromFormat("Custom Textures loaded, %.1f MB in %.1f s", size_sum / (1024.0 * 1024.0), (stoptime - starttime) / 1000.0), 10000);