diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 763e49c..2758c4e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+0.3.4-dev (unreleased)
+======================
+
+Added
+-----
+
+* Added a setting to change the default memory limit for individual
+  images. If a big image won't load, increase this limit. This
+  setting can be overridden by Qt's default environment variable
+  QT_IMAGEIO_MAXALLOC
+
+
 0.3.3 - 2024-05-05
 ==================
 
diff --git a/beeref/__main__.py b/beeref/__main__.py
index 919683d..a3653b5 100755
--- a/beeref/__main__.py
+++ b/beeref/__main__.py
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ def main():
     settings = BeeSettings()
     logger.info(f'Using settings: {settings.fileName()}')
     logger.info(f'Logging to: {logfile_name()}')
+    settings.on_startup()
     args = CommandlineArgs(with_check=True)  # Force checking
     assert not args.debug_raise_error, args.debug_raise_error
 
diff --git a/beeref/config/settings.py b/beeref/config/settings.py
index 70608cf..1d767c5 100644
--- a/beeref/config/settings.py
+++ b/beeref/config/settings.py
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@
 
 import argparse
 import logging
+import os
 import os.path
 
-from PyQt6 import QtCore
+from PyQt6 import QtCore, QtGui
 
 from beeref import constants
 
@@ -117,6 +118,12 @@ class BeeSettings(QtCore.QSettings):
             'cast': int,
             'validate': lambda x: 0 <= x <= 200,
         },
+        'Items/image_allocation_limit': {
+            'default': QtGui.QImageReader.allocationLimit(),
+            'cast': int,
+            'validate': lambda x: x >= 0,
+            'post_save_callback': QtGui.QImageReader.setAllocationLimit,
+        }
     }
 
     def __init__(self):
@@ -132,6 +139,26 @@ class BeeSettings(QtCore.QSettings):
             constants.APPNAME,
             constants.APPNAME)
 
+    def on_startup(self):
+        """Settings to be applied on application startup."""
+
+        if os.environ.get('QT_IMAGEIO_MAXALLOC'):
+            alloc = int(os.environ['QT_IMAGEIO_MAXALLOC'])
+        else:
+            alloc = self.valueOrDefault('Items/image_allocation_limit')
+        QtGui.QImageReader.setAllocationLimit(alloc)
+
+    def setValue(self, key, value):
+        super().setValue(key, value)
+        if key in self.FIELDS and 'post_save_callback' in self.FIELDS[key]:
+            self.FIELDS[key]['post_save_callback'](value)
+
+    def remove(self, key):
+        super().remove(key)
+        if key in self.FIELDS and 'post_save_callback' in self.FIELDS[key]:
+            value = self.valueOrDefault(key)
+            self.FIELDS[key]['post_save_callback'](value)
+
     def valueOrDefault(self, key):
         """Get the value for key, or the default value specified in FIELDS.
 
diff --git a/beeref/fileio/errors.py b/beeref/fileio/errors.py
index 0fa1ca2..04235d7 100644
--- a/beeref/fileio/errors.py
+++ b/beeref/fileio/errors.py
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with BeeRef.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+
+IMG_LOADING_ERROR_MSG = (
+    'Unknown format or too big?\n'
+    'Check Settings -> Miscellaneous -> Maximum Image Size')
+
+
 class BeeFileIOError(Exception):
     def __init__(self, msg, filename):
         self.msg = msg
diff --git a/beeref/fileio/sql.py b/beeref/fileio/sql.py
index a8077c6..b0d6a83 100644
--- a/beeref/fileio/sql.py
+++ b/beeref/fileio/sql.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from PyQt6 import QtGui
 
 from beeref import constants
 from beeref.items import BeePixmapItem
-from .errors import BeeFileIOError
+from .errors import BeeFileIOError, IMG_LOADING_ERROR_MSG
 from .schema import SCHEMA, USER_VERSION, MIGRATIONS, APPLICATION_ID
 
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def handle_sqlite_errors(func):
     def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
         try:
             func(self, *args, **kwargs)
-        except sqlite3.Error as e:
+        except (sqlite3.Error, BeeFileIOError) as e:
             logger.exception(f'Error while reading/writing {self.filename}')
             try:
                 # Try to roll back transaction if there is any
@@ -210,8 +210,15 @@ class SQLiteIO:
             }
 
             if data['type'] == 'pixmap':
-                data['item'] = BeePixmapItem(QtGui.QImage())
-                data['item'].pixmap_from_bytes(row[9])
+                item = BeePixmapItem(QtGui.QImage())
+                item.pixmap_from_bytes(row[9])
+                if item.pixmap().isNull():
+                    item = data['data']['text'] = (
+                        f'Image could not be loaded: {item.filename}\n'
+                        + IMG_LOADING_ERROR_MSG)
+                    data['type'] = 'text'
+                data['item'] = item
+                data['data']['is_editable'] = False
 
             self.scene.add_item_later(data)
 
diff --git a/beeref/items.py b/beeref/items.py
index 7e0ecfe..cac6740 100644
--- a/beeref/items.py
+++ b/beeref/items.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class BeePixmapItem(BeeItemMixin, QtWidgets.QGraphicsPixmapItem):
     TYPE = 'pixmap'
     CROP_HANDLE_SIZE = 15
 
-    def __init__(self, image, filename=None):
+    def __init__(self, image, filename=None, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(QtGui.QPixmap.fromImage(image))
         self.save_id = None
         self.filename = filename
@@ -602,13 +602,13 @@ class BeeTextItem(BeeItemMixin, QtWidgets.QGraphicsTextItem):
 
     TYPE = 'text'
 
-    def __init__(self, text=None):
+    def __init__(self, text=None, is_editable=True, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(text or "Text")
         self.save_id = None
         logger.debug(f'Initialized {self}')
         self.is_image = False
         self.init_selectable()
-        self.is_editable = True
+        self.is_editable = is_editable
         self.edit_mode = False
         self.setDefaultTextColor(QtGui.QColor(*COLORS['Scene:Text']))
 
diff --git a/beeref/main_controls.py b/beeref/main_controls.py
index 1301027..4848a2f 100644
--- a/beeref/main_controls.py
+++ b/beeref/main_controls.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class MainControlsMixin:
         elif mimedata.hasImage():
             event.acceptProposedAction()
         else:
-            msg = 'Attempted drop not an image'
+            msg = 'Attempted drop not an image or image too big'
             logger.info(msg)
             widgets.BeeNotification(self.control_target, msg)
 
diff --git a/beeref/view.py b/beeref/view.py
index a8fda7b..31b22e3 100644
--- a/beeref/view.py
+++ b/beeref/view.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from beeref import commands
 from beeref.config import CommandlineArgs, BeeSettings, KeyboardSettings
 from beeref import constants
 from beeref import fileio
+from beeref.fileio.errors import IMG_LOADING_ERROR_MSG
 from beeref.fileio.export import exporter_registry
 from beeref import widgets
 from beeref.items import BeePixmapItem, BeeTextItem
@@ -532,13 +533,12 @@ class BeeGraphicsView(MainControlsMixin,
             errornames = [
                 f'<li>{fn}</li>' for fn in errors]
             errornames = '<ul>%s</ul>' % '\n'.join(errornames)
-            msg = ('{errors} image(s) out of {total} '
-                   'could not be opened:'.format(
-                       errors=len(errors), total=len(errors)))
+            num = len(errors)
+            msg = f'{num} image(s) could not be opened.<br/>'
             QtWidgets.QMessageBox.warning(
                 self,
                 'Problem loading images',
-                msg + errornames)
+                msg + IMG_LOADING_ERROR_MSG + errornames)
         self.scene.add_queued_items()
         self.scene.arrange_optimal()
         self.undo_stack.endMacro()
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ class BeeGraphicsView(MainControlsMixin,
             self.undo_stack.push(commands.InsertItems(self.scene, [item], pos))
             return
 
-        msg = 'No image data or text in clipboard'
+        msg = 'No image data or text in clipboard or image too big'
         logger.info(msg)
         widgets.BeeNotification(self, msg)
 
diff --git a/beeref/widgets/settings.py b/beeref/widgets/settings.py
index e36f09e..c6bdf40 100644
--- a/beeref/widgets/settings.py
+++ b/beeref/widgets/settings.py
@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ class ArrangeGapWidget(IntegerGroup):
     MAX = 200
 
 
+class AllocationLimitWidget(IntegerGroup):
+    TITLE = 'Maximum Image Size:'
+    HELPTEXT = ('The maximum image size that can be loaded (in megabytes). '
+                'Set to 0 for no limitation.')
+    KEY = 'Items/image_allocation_limit'
+    MIN = 0
+    MAX = 10000
+
+
 class SettingsDialog(QtWidgets.QDialog):
     def __init__(self, parent):
         super().__init__(parent)
@@ -147,6 +156,7 @@ class SettingsDialog(QtWidgets.QDialog):
         misc.setLayout(misc_layout)
         misc_layout.addWidget(ImageStorageFormatWidget(), 0, 0)
         misc_layout.addWidget(ArrangeGapWidget(), 0, 1)
+        misc_layout.addWidget(AllocationLimitWidget(), 1, 0)
         tabs.addTab(misc, '&Miscellaneous')
 
         layout = QtWidgets.QVBoxLayout()
diff --git a/tests/config/test_settings.py b/tests/config/test_settings.py
index a78625b..eede452 100644
--- a/tests/config/test_settings.py
+++ b/tests/config/test_settings.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
+import os
 import os.path
 import tempfile
-from unittest.mock import patch
+from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
 
 import pytest
 
+from PyQt6 import QtGui
+
 from beeref.config.settings import CommandlineArgs
 
 
@@ -35,6 +38,52 @@ def test_command_line_args_get_unknown():
     CommandlineArgs._instance = None
 
 
+def test_settings_on_startup_sets_alloc_from_settings(settings):
+    settings.setValue('Items/image_allocation_limit', 66)
+    QtGui.QImageReader.setAllocationLimit(100)
+    settings.on_startup()
+    assert QtGui.QImageReader.allocationLimit() == 66
+
+
+def test_settings_on_startup_sets_alloc_from_environment(settings):
+    settings.setValue('Items/image_allocation_limit', 66)
+    os.environ['QT_IMAGEIO_MAXALLOC'] = '42'
+    QtGui.QImageReader.setAllocationLimit(100)
+    settings.on_startup()
+    assert QtGui.QImageReader.allocationLimit() == 42
+
+
+def test_settings_set_value_without_callback(settings):
+    settings.FIELDS = {'foo/bar': {}}
+    settings.setValue('foo/bar', 100)
+    assert settings.value('foo/bar') == 100
+
+
+def test_settings_set_value_with_callback(settings):
+    foo_callback = MagicMock()
+    settings.FIELDS = {'foo/bar': {'post_save_callback': foo_callback}}
+    settings.setValue('foo/bar', 100)
+    foo_callback.assert_called_once_with(100)
+    assert settings.value('foo/bar') == 100
+
+
+def test_settings_remove_without_callback(settings):
+    settings.FIELDS = {'foo/bar': {}}
+    settings.remove('foo/bar')
+    assert settings.value('foo/bar') is None
+
+
+def test_settings_remove_with_callback(settings):
+    foo_callback = MagicMock()
+    settings.FIELDS = {
+        'foo/bar': {'default': 66,
+                    'post_save_callback': foo_callback}
+    }
+    settings.remove('foo/bar')
+    foo_callback.assert_called_once_with(66)
+    assert settings.value('foo/bar') is None
+
+
 def test_settings_value_or_default_gets_default(settings):
     assert settings.valueOrDefault('Items/image_storage_format') == 'best'
 
diff --git a/tests/fileio/test_sql.py b/tests/fileio/test_sql.py
index fa2ef31..6203fee 100644
--- a/tests/fileio/test_sql.py
+++ b/tests/fileio/test_sql.py
@@ -120,21 +120,21 @@ def test_all_migrations(tmpfile):
     assert result[3] == b'bla'
 
 
-def test_sqliteio_ẁrite_meta_application_id(tmpfile):
+def test_sqliteio_write_meta_application_id(tmpfile):
     io = SQLiteIO(tmpfile, MagicMock(), create_new=True)
     io.write_meta()
     result = io.fetchone('PRAGMA application_id')
     assert result[0] == schema.APPLICATION_ID
 
 
-def test_sqliteio_ẁrite_meta_user_version(tmpfile):
+def test_sqliteio_write_meta_user_version(tmpfile):
     io = SQLiteIO(tmpfile, MagicMock(), create_new=True)
     io.write_meta()
     result = io.fetchone('PRAGMA user_version')
     assert result[0] == schema.USER_VERSION
 
 
-def test_sqliteio_ẁrite_meta_foreign_keys(tmpfile):
+def test_sqliteio_write_meta_foreign_keys(tmpfile):
     io = SQLiteIO(tmpfile, MagicMock(), create_new=True)
     io.write_meta()
     result = io.fetchone('PRAGMA foreign_keys')
@@ -463,6 +463,8 @@ def test_sqliteio_read_reads_readonly_text_item(tmpfile, view):
     view.scene.add_queued_items()
     assert len(view.scene.items()) == 1
     item = view.scene.items()[0]
+    assert isinstance(item, BeeTextItem)
+    assert item.is_editable is True
     assert item.isSelected() is False
     assert item.save_id == 1
     assert item.pos().x() == 22.2
@@ -493,6 +495,7 @@ def test_sqliteio_read_reads_readonly_pixmap_item(tmpfile, view, imgdata3x3):
     view.scene.add_queued_items()
     assert len(view.scene.items()) == 1
     item = view.scene.items()[0]
+    assert isinstance(item, BeePixmapItem)
     assert item.isSelected() is False
     assert item.save_id == 1
     assert item.pos().x() == 22.2
@@ -510,6 +513,30 @@ def test_sqliteio_read_reads_readonly_pixmap_item(tmpfile, view, imgdata3x3):
     assert view.scene.items_to_add.empty() is True
 
 
+def test_sqliteio_read_reads_readonly_pixmap_item_error(tmpfile, view):
+    io = SQLiteIO(tmpfile, view.scene, create_new=True)
+    io.create_schema_on_new()
+    io.ex('INSERT INTO items '
+          '(type, x, y, z, scale, rotation, flip, data) '
+          'VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?) ',
+          ('pixmap', 22.2, 33.3, 0.22, 3.4, 45, -1,
+           json.dumps({'filename': 'bee.png'})))
+    io.ex('INSERT INTO sqlar (item_id, data) VALUES (?, ?)',
+          (1, b'not an image'))
+    io.connection.commit()
+    del io
+
+    io = SQLiteIO(tmpfile, view.scene, readonly=True)
+    io.read()
+    view.scene.add_queued_items()
+    assert len(view.scene.items()) == 1
+    item = view.scene.items()[0]
+    assert isinstance(item, BeeTextItem)
+    assert item.is_editable is False
+    item.toPlainText().startswith('Unknown')
+    assert view.scene.items_to_add.empty() is True
+
+
 def test_sqliteio_read_updates_progress(tmpfile, view):
     worker = MagicMock(canceled=False)
     io = SQLiteIO(tmpfile, view.scene, create_new=True,
diff --git a/tests/test_main.py b/tests/test_main.py
index e0cfcbf..7c73fd1 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_main.py
@@ -29,12 +29,16 @@ def test_beerefapplication_fileopenevent(open_mock, qapp, main_window):
 
 @patch('beeref.__main__.BeeRefApplication')
 @patch('beeref.__main__.CommandlineArgs')
-def test_main(args_mock, app_mock, qapp):
+@patch('beeref.config.BeeSettings.on_startup')
+def test_main(startup_mock, args_mock, app_mock, qapp):
     app_mock.return_value = qapp
     args_mock.return_value.filename = None
     args_mock.return_value.loglevel = 'WARN'
     args_mock.return_value.debug_raise_error = ''
+
     with patch.object(qapp, 'exec') as exec_mock:
         main()
-        args_mock.assert_called_once_with(with_check=True)
         exec_mock.assert_called_once_with()
+
+    args_mock.assert_called_once_with(with_check=True)
+    startup_mock.assert_called()