diff --git a/src/main/java/bdv/img/virtualstack/VirtualStackImageLoader.java b/src/main/java/bdv/img/virtualstack/VirtualStackImageLoader.java
index 10f6229c1bc43fb1ddd06a186eecbd2042bc24ec..30e06c216326e6ca9e3010fad389ed9fa371499f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/bdv/img/virtualstack/VirtualStackImageLoader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/bdv/img/virtualstack/VirtualStackImageLoader.java
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ public abstract class VirtualStackImageLoader< T extends NativeType< T >, V exte
 		@Override
 		public RandomAccessibleInterval< T > getImage( final int timepointId, final int level, final ImgLoaderHint... hints )
 		{
-			return prepareCachedImage( timepointId, level, LoadingStrategy.BUDGETED, type );
+			return prepareCachedImage( timepointId, level, LoadingStrategy.BLOCKING, type );
 		}
 
 		/**