diff --git a/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/syncthing/SyncthingService.java b/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/syncthing/SyncthingService.java
index 54b7a07d..f72e8e4b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/syncthing/SyncthingService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/syncthing/SyncthingService.java
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ public class SyncthingService extends Service implements
     public static final String PREF_USE_ROOT                 = "use_root";
     private static final String PREF_NOTIFICATION_TYPE       = "notification_type";
     public static final String PREF_USE_WAKE_LOCK            = "wakelock_while_binary_running";
+    public static final String PREF_FOREGROUND_SERVICE       = "run_as_foreground_service";
 
     private static final int NOTIFICATION_ACTIVE = 1;
 
@@ -291,6 +292,13 @@ public class SyncthingService extends Service implements
     private void updateNotification() {
         SharedPreferences sp = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this);
         String type = sp.getString(PREF_NOTIFICATION_TYPE, "low_priority");
+        boolean foreground = sp.getBoolean(PREF_FOREGROUND_SERVICE, false);
+        if ("none".equals(type) && foreground) {
+            // foreground priority requires any notification
+            // so this ensures that we either have a "default" or "low_priority" notification,
+            // but not "none".
+            type = "low_priority";
+        }
         NotificationManager nm = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
         if ((mCurrentState == State.ACTIVE || mCurrentState == State.STARTING) &&
                 !type.equals("none")) {
@@ -304,15 +312,23 @@ public class SyncthingService extends Service implements
             if (type.equals("low_priority"))
                 builder.setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_MIN);
 
-            nm.notify(NOTIFICATION_ACTIVE, builder.build());
+            if (foreground) {
+                builder.setContentText(getString(R.string.syncthing_active_foreground));
+                startForeground(NOTIFICATION_ACTIVE, builder.build());
+            } else {
+                stopForeground(false); // ensure no longer running with foreground priority
+                nm.notify(NOTIFICATION_ACTIVE, builder.build());
+            }
         } else {
+            // ensure no longer running with foreground priority
+            stopForeground(false);
             nm.cancel(NOTIFICATION_ACTIVE);
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     public void onSharedPreferenceChanged(SharedPreferences sharedPreferences, String key) {
-        if (key.equals(PREF_NOTIFICATION_TYPE))
+        if (key.equals(PREF_NOTIFICATION_TYPE) || key.equals(PREF_FOREGROUND_SERVICE))
             updateNotification();
         else if (key.equals(PREF_SYNC_ONLY_CHARGING) || key.equals(PREF_SYNC_ONLY_WIFI)
                 || key.equals(PREF_SYNC_ONLY_WIFI_SSIDS))
@@ -464,6 +480,7 @@ public class SyncthingService extends Service implements
             mApi.shutdown();
 
         NotificationManager nm = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
+        stopForeground(false);
         nm.cancel(NOTIFICATION_ACTIVE);
 
         for (FolderObserver ro : mObservers) {
diff --git a/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index e674b36d..99508d5c 100644
--- a/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -298,6 +298,10 @@ Please report any problems you encounter via Github.</string>
 
     <string name="keep_wakelock_while_binary_running_summary">Use this setting if you experience unexpected disconnects while operating on battery. This will result in increased battery consumption.</string>
 
+    <string name="run_as_foreground_service">Run service with foreground priority</string>
+
+    <string name="run_as_foreground_service_summary">If enabled, Syncthing will run with foreground priority and is less likely to be stopped by Android. This might cause other services to be stopped if available memory is low.</string>
+
     <!-- Toast shown after config was successfully exported -->
     <string name="config_export_successful">Config was exported to %1$s</string>
 
@@ -417,6 +421,8 @@ Please report any problems you encounter via Github.</string>
     <!-- Title of the notification shown while syncthing is running and enabled -->
     <string name="syncthing_active">Syncthing is running</string>
 
+    <string name="syncthing_active_foreground">Service is running with foreground priority.</string>
+
     <!-- Toast shown if folder observer fails to traverse a folder -->
     <string name="toast_folder_observer_stack_overflow">Directory tree too deep. Check for cyclic symlinks</string>
 
diff --git a/src/main/res/xml/app_settings.xml b/src/main/res/xml/app_settings.xml
index ea3265b0..ae4e22e4 100644
--- a/src/main/res/xml/app_settings.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/xml/app_settings.xml
@@ -162,6 +162,12 @@
                 android:summary="@string/keep_wakelock_while_binary_running_summary"
                 android:defaultValue="false" />
 
+            <CheckBoxPreference
+                android:key="run_as_foreground_service"
+                android:title="@string/run_as_foreground_service"
+                android:summary="@string/run_as_foreground_service_summary"
+                android:defaultValue="false" />
+
         </PreferenceScreen>
 
     </PreferenceCategory>