diff --git a/include/jemalloc/internal/pa.h b/include/jemalloc/internal/pa.h
index db04aa0e..d99b9b73 100644
--- a/include/jemalloc/internal/pa.h
+++ b/include/jemalloc/internal/pa.h
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@
 #include "jemalloc/internal/edata_cache.h"
 #include "jemalloc/internal/lockedint.h"
 
+enum pa_decay_purge_setting_e {
+	PA_DECAY_PURGE_ALWAYS,
+	PA_DECAY_PURGE_NEVER,
+	PA_DECAY_PURGE_ON_EPOCH_ADVANCE
+};
+typedef enum pa_decay_purge_setting_e pa_decay_purge_setting_t;
+
 /*
  * The page allocator; responsible for acquiring pages of memory for
  * allocations.
@@ -147,4 +154,11 @@ void pa_decay_to_limit(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, decay_t *decay,
 void pa_decay_all(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, decay_t *decay,
     pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache, bool fully_decay);
 
+void pa_decay_all(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, decay_t *decay,
+    pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache, bool fully_decay);
+/* Returns true if the epoch advanced. */
+bool pa_maybe_decay_purge(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, decay_t *decay,
+    pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache,
+    pa_decay_purge_setting_t decay_purge_setting);
+
 #endif /* JEMALLOC_INTERNAL_PA_H */
diff --git a/src/arena.c b/src/arena.c
index 7c65c5c5..d1e61365 100644
--- a/src/arena.c
+++ b/src/arena.c
@@ -506,56 +506,6 @@ arena_extent_ralloc_large_expand(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, edata_t *edata,
 	arena_nactive_add(arena, udiff >> LG_PAGE);
 }
 
-static void
-arena_decay_try_purge(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, decay_t *decay,
-    pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache,
-    size_t current_npages, size_t npages_limit, bool is_background_thread) {
-	if (current_npages > npages_limit) {
-		pa_decay_to_limit(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard, decay, decay_stats,
-		    ecache, /* fully_decay */ false, npages_limit,
-		    current_npages - npages_limit);
-	}
-}
-
-static bool
-arena_maybe_decay(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, decay_t *decay,
-    pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache,
-    bool is_background_thread) {
-	malloc_mutex_assert_owner(tsdn, &decay->mtx);
-
-	/* Purge all or nothing if the option is disabled. */
-	ssize_t decay_ms = decay_ms_read(decay);
-	if (decay_ms <= 0) {
-		if (decay_ms == 0) {
-			pa_decay_to_limit(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard, decay,
-			    decay_stats, ecache, /* fully_decay */ false, 0,
-			    ecache_npages_get(ecache));
-		}
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * If the deadline has been reached, advance to the current epoch and
-	 * purge to the new limit if necessary.  Note that dirty pages created
-	 * during the current epoch are not subject to purge until a future
-	 * epoch, so as a result purging only happens during epoch advances, or
-	 * being triggered by background threads (scheduled event).
-	 */
-	nstime_t time;
-	nstime_init_update(&time);
-	size_t npages_current = ecache_npages_get(ecache);
-	bool epoch_advanced = decay_maybe_advance_epoch(decay, &time,
-	    npages_current);
-	if (is_background_thread ||
-	    (epoch_advanced && !background_thread_enabled())) {
-		size_t npages_limit = decay_npages_limit_get(decay);
-		arena_decay_try_purge(tsdn, arena, decay, decay_stats, ecache,
-		    npages_current, npages_limit, is_background_thread);
-	}
-
-	return epoch_advanced;
-}
-
 ssize_t
 arena_dirty_decay_ms_get(arena_t *arena) {
 	return pa_shard_dirty_decay_ms_get(&arena->pa_shard);
@@ -566,6 +516,22 @@ arena_muzzy_decay_ms_get(arena_t *arena) {
 	return pa_shard_muzzy_decay_ms_get(&arena->pa_shard);
 }
 
+/*
+ * In situations where we're not forcing a decay (i.e. because the user
+ * specifically requested it), should we purge ourselves, or wait for the
+ * background thread to get to it.
+ */
+static pa_decay_purge_setting_t
+arena_decide_unforced_decay_purge_setting(bool is_background_thread) {
+	if (is_background_thread) {
+		return PA_DECAY_PURGE_ALWAYS;
+	} else if (!is_background_thread && background_thread_enabled()) {
+		return PA_DECAY_PURGE_NEVER;
+	} else {
+		return PA_DECAY_PURGE_ON_EPOCH_ADVANCE;
+	}
+}
+
 static bool
 arena_decay_ms_set(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, decay_t *decay,
     pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache, ssize_t decay_ms) {
@@ -585,7 +551,11 @@ arena_decay_ms_set(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, decay_t *decay,
 	nstime_t cur_time;
 	nstime_init_update(&cur_time);
 	decay_reinit(decay, &cur_time, decay_ms);
-	arena_maybe_decay(tsdn, arena, decay, decay_stats, ecache, false);
+	pa_decay_purge_setting_t decay_purge =
+	    arena_decide_unforced_decay_purge_setting(
+		/* is_background_thread */ false);
+	pa_maybe_decay_purge(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard, decay, decay_stats, ecache,
+	    decay_purge);
 	malloc_mutex_unlock(tsdn, &decay->mtx);
 
 	return false;
@@ -636,9 +606,10 @@ arena_decay_impl(tsdn_t *tsdn, arena_t *arena, decay_t *decay,
 		/* No need to wait if another thread is in progress. */
 		return true;
 	}
-
-	bool epoch_advanced = arena_maybe_decay(tsdn, arena, decay, decay_stats,
-	    ecache, is_background_thread);
+	pa_decay_purge_setting_t decay_purge =
+	    arena_decide_unforced_decay_purge_setting(is_background_thread);
+	bool epoch_advanced = pa_maybe_decay_purge(tsdn, &arena->pa_shard,
+	    decay, decay_stats, ecache, decay_purge);
 	size_t npages_new;
 	if (epoch_advanced) {
 		/* Backlog is updated on epoch advance. */
diff --git a/src/pa.c b/src/pa.c
index 711b8243..06c205c4 100644
--- a/src/pa.c
+++ b/src/pa.c
@@ -296,3 +296,54 @@ pa_decay_all(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, decay_t *decay,
 		    fully_decay, 0, ecache_npages_get(ecache));
 		malloc_mutex_unlock(tsdn, &decay->mtx);
 }
+
+static void
+pa_decay_try_purge(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, decay_t *decay,
+    pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache,
+    size_t current_npages, size_t npages_limit) {
+	if (current_npages > npages_limit) {
+		pa_decay_to_limit(tsdn, shard, decay, decay_stats, ecache,
+		    /* fully_decay */ false, npages_limit,
+		    current_npages - npages_limit);
+	}
+}
+
+bool
+pa_maybe_decay_purge(tsdn_t *tsdn, pa_shard_t *shard, decay_t *decay,
+    pa_shard_decay_stats_t *decay_stats, ecache_t *ecache,
+    pa_decay_purge_setting_t decay_purge_setting) {
+	malloc_mutex_assert_owner(tsdn, &decay->mtx);
+
+	/* Purge all or nothing if the option is disabled. */
+	ssize_t decay_ms = decay_ms_read(decay);
+	if (decay_ms <= 0) {
+		if (decay_ms == 0) {
+			pa_decay_to_limit(tsdn, shard, decay, decay_stats,
+			    ecache, /* fully_decay */ false,
+			    /* npages_limit */ 0, ecache_npages_get(ecache));
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * If the deadline has been reached, advance to the current epoch and
+	 * purge to the new limit if necessary.  Note that dirty pages created
+	 * during the current epoch are not subject to purge until a future
+	 * epoch, so as a result purging only happens during epoch advances, or
+	 * being triggered by background threads (scheduled event).
+	 */
+	nstime_t time;
+	nstime_init_update(&time);
+	size_t npages_current = ecache_npages_get(ecache);
+	bool epoch_advanced = decay_maybe_advance_epoch(decay, &time,
+	    npages_current);
+	if (decay_purge_setting == PA_DECAY_PURGE_ALWAYS
+	    || (epoch_advanced && decay_purge_setting
+	    == PA_DECAY_PURGE_ON_EPOCH_ADVANCE)) {
+		size_t npages_limit = decay_npages_limit_get(decay);
+		pa_decay_try_purge(tsdn, shard, decay, decay_stats, ecache,
+		    npages_current, npages_limit);
+	}
+
+	return epoch_advanced;
+}