diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/App.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/App.kt
index d369d523..b9f8dff8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/App.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/App.kt
@@ -79,7 +79,9 @@ class App : Application() {
                     .build()
             )
         }
-        migrateTokenFromMetadataToSettingsManager()
+        permitDiskReads {
+            migrateTokenFromMetadataToSettingsManager()
+        }
     }
 
     private val settingsManager: SettingsManager by inject()
@@ -106,3 +108,21 @@ const val ANCESTRAL_RECORD_KEY = "@ancestral_record@"
 const val GLOBAL_METADATA_KEY = "@meta@"
 
 fun isDebugBuild() = Build.TYPE == "userdebug"
+
+fun <T> permitDiskReads(func: () -> T): T {
+    return if (isDebugBuild()) {
+        val oldThreadPolicy = StrictMode.getThreadPolicy()
+        StrictMode.setThreadPolicy(
+            StrictMode.ThreadPolicy.Builder(oldThreadPolicy)
+                .permitDiskReads()
+                .build()
+        )
+        try {
+            func()
+        } finally {
+            StrictMode.setThreadPolicy(oldThreadPolicy)
+        }
+    } else {
+        func()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsFragment.kt
index cded2c24..6fdaebb9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsFragment.kt
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import androidx.preference.TwoStatePreference
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.R
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.UsbMonitor
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.isMassStorage
+import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.permitDiskReads
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.restore.RestoreActivity
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.ui.toRelativeTime
 import org.koin.android.ext.android.inject
@@ -67,7 +68,9 @@ class SettingsFragment : PreferenceFragmentCompat() {
     }
 
     override fun onCreatePreferences(savedInstanceState: Bundle?, rootKey: String?) {
-        setPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.settings, rootKey)
+        permitDiskReads {
+            setPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.settings, rootKey)
+        }
         setHasOptionsMenu(true)
 
         backup = findPreference("backup")!!
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsManager.kt
index 2ac3cb44..92c18321 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsManager.kt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import android.net.Uri
 import androidx.annotation.UiThread
 import androidx.documentfile.provider.DocumentFile
 import androidx.preference.PreferenceManager
+import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.permitDiskReads
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.transport.backup.BackupCoordinator
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentSkipListSet
 
@@ -25,7 +26,9 @@ private const val PREF_KEY_BACKUP_APP_BLACKLIST = "backupAppBlacklist"
 
 class SettingsManager(context: Context) {
 
-    private val prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context)
+    private val prefs = permitDiskReads {
+        PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context)
+    }
 
     @Volatile
     private var token: Long? = null
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt
index f8a8d74f..7332d2b7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/settings/SettingsViewModel.kt
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.metadata.PackageState.NO_DATA
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.metadata.PackageState.QUOTA_EXCEEDED
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.metadata.PackageState.UNKNOWN_ERROR
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.metadata.PackageState.WAS_STOPPED
+import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.permitDiskReads
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.restore.AppRestoreStatus.FAILED
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.restore.AppRestoreStatus.FAILED_NOT_ALLOWED
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.restore.AppRestoreStatus.FAILED_NO_DATA
@@ -36,7 +37,6 @@ import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.transport.requestBackup
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.ui.RequireProvisioningViewModel
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.ui.notification.BackupNotificationManager
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.ui.notification.getAppName
-import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import java.util.Locale
 
@@ -67,7 +67,11 @@ internal class SettingsViewModel(
     internal val appEditMode: LiveData<Boolean> = mAppEditMode
 
     init {
-        viewModelScope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
+        val scope = permitDiskReads {
+            // this shouldn't cause disk reads, but it still does
+            viewModelScope
+        }
+        scope.launch {
             // ensures the lastBackupTime LiveData gets set
             metadataManager.getLastBackupTime()
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/transport/restore/ApkInstaller.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/transport/restore/ApkInstaller.kt
index ec31fd48..eaef33f5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/transport/restore/ApkInstaller.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/transport/restore/ApkInstaller.kt
@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ import android.content.pm.PackageManager
 import android.util.Log
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.transport.restore.ApkRestoreStatus.FAILED
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.transport.restore.ApkRestoreStatus.SUCCEEDED
+import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.ExperimentalCoroutinesApi
+import kotlinx.coroutines.GlobalScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.channels.awaitClose
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.callbackFlow
+import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import java.io.File
 import java.io.IOException
 
@@ -101,8 +104,10 @@ internal class ApkInstaller(private val context: Context) {
         }
         Log.d(TAG, "Received result for $packageName: success=$success $statusMsg")
 
-        // delete cached APK file
-        cachedApk.delete()
+        // delete cached APK file on I/O thread
+        GlobalScope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
+            cachedApk.delete()
+        }
 
         // update status and offer result
         val status = if (success) SUCCEEDED else FAILED
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/ui/storage/StorageViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/ui/storage/StorageViewModel.kt
index ea824aa1..72047d7c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/ui/storage/StorageViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/stevesoltys/seedvault/ui/storage/StorageViewModel.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.LiveData
 import androidx.lifecycle.MutableLiveData
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.R
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.isMassStorage
+import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.permitDiskReads
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.settings.BackupManagerSettings
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.settings.FlashDrive
 import com.stevesoltys.seedvault.settings.SettingsManager
@@ -49,7 +50,9 @@ internal abstract class StorageViewModel(
         ): Boolean {
             val storage = settingsManager.getStorage() ?: return false
             if (storage.isUsb) return true
-            return storage.getDocumentFile(context).isDirectory
+            return permitDiskReads {
+                storage.getDocumentFile(context).isDirectory
+            }
         }
     }