diff --git a/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp b/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp
index db0c86a750..1d19108bd1 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo AP_Scripting::var_info[] = {
     // @Bitmask: 3: log runtime memory usage and execution time
     // @Bitmask: 4: Disable pre-arm check
     // @Bitmask: 5: Save CRC of current scripts to loaded and running checksum parameters enabling pre-arm
+    // @Bitmask: 6: Disable heap expansion on allocation failure
     // @User: Advanced
     AP_GROUPINFO("DEBUG_OPTS", 4, AP_Scripting, _debug_options, 0),
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.h b/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.h
index 26729b6769..869e11df54 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.h
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ public:
         LOG_RUNTIME = 1U << 3,
         DISABLE_PRE_ARM = 1U << 4,
         SAVE_CHECKSUM = 1U << 5,
+        DISABLE_HEAP_EXPANSION = 1U << 6,
     };
 
 private:
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp b/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp
index 1a6da1bd72..6710f328a2 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ lua_scripts::lua_scripts(const AP_Int32 &vm_steps, const AP_Int32 &heap_size, AP
     : _vm_steps(vm_steps),
       _debug_options(debug_options)
 {
-    _heap.create(heap_size, 4);
+    const bool allow_heap_expansion = !option_is_set(AP_Scripting::DebugOption::DISABLE_HEAP_EXPANSION);
+    _heap.create(heap_size, 10, allow_heap_expansion, 20*1024);
 }
 
 lua_scripts::~lua_scripts() {