diff --git a/apps/app_externalivr.c b/apps/app_externalivr.c
index ef35637c95..7a9757ed1b 100644
--- a/apps/app_externalivr.c
+++ b/apps/app_externalivr.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ ASTERISK_FILE_VERSION(__FILE__, "$Revision$")
 #include "asterisk/linkedlists.h"
 #include "asterisk/app.h"
 #include "asterisk/utils.h"
+#include "asterisk/options.h"
 
 
 static const char *app = "ExternalIVR";
@@ -316,6 +317,9 @@ static int app_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 		/* child process */
 		int i;
 
+		if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+			ast_set_priority(0);
+
 		dup2(child_stdin[0], STDIN_FILENO);
 		dup2(child_stdout[1], STDOUT_FILENO);
 		dup2(child_stderr[1], STDERR_FILENO);
diff --git a/apps/app_festival.c b/apps/app_festival.c
index f06cbaef3f..223aca571f 100644
--- a/apps/app_festival.c
+++ b/apps/app_festival.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ ASTERISK_FILE_VERSION(__FILE__, "$Revision$")
 #include "asterisk/config.h"
 #include "asterisk/utils.h"
 #include "asterisk/lock.h"
+#include "asterisk/options.h"
 
 #define FESTIVAL_CONFIG "festival.conf"
 
@@ -140,6 +141,9 @@ static int send_waveform_to_fd(char *waveform, int length, int fd) {
                 if (x != fd)
                         close(x);
         }
+	if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+		ast_set_priority(0);
+
 /*IAS */
 #ifdef __PPC__  
 	for( x=0; x<length; x+=2)
diff --git a/apps/app_ices.c b/apps/app_ices.c
index 3a8130ab64..9558f021bb 100644
--- a/apps/app_ices.c
+++ b/apps/app_ices.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ ASTERISK_FILE_VERSION(__FILE__, "$Revision$")
 #include "asterisk/pbx.h"
 #include "asterisk/module.h"
 #include "asterisk/translate.h"
+#include "asterisk/options.h"
 
 #define ICES "/usr/bin/ices"
 #define LOCAL_ICES "/usr/local/bin/ices"
@@ -70,6 +71,8 @@ static int icesencode(char *filename, int fd)
 		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Fork failed\n");
 	if (res)
 		return res;
+	if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+		ast_set_priority(0);
 	dup2(fd, STDIN_FILENO);
 	for (x=STDERR_FILENO + 1;x<256;x++) {
 		if ((x != STDIN_FILENO) && (x != STDOUT_FILENO))
diff --git a/apps/app_mp3.c b/apps/app_mp3.c
index bfb0eb9ad9..b5a3138075 100644
--- a/apps/app_mp3.c
+++ b/apps/app_mp3.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ ASTERISK_FILE_VERSION(__FILE__, "$Revision$")
 #include "asterisk/pbx.h"
 #include "asterisk/module.h"
 #include "asterisk/translate.h"
+#include "asterisk/options.h"
 
 #define LOCAL_MPG_123 "/usr/local/bin/mpg123"
 #define MPG_123 "/usr/bin/mpg123"
@@ -71,6 +72,8 @@ static int mp3play(char *filename, int fd)
 		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Fork failed\n");
 	if (res)
 		return res;
+	if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+		ast_set_priority(0);
 	dup2(fd, STDOUT_FILENO);
 	for (x=0;x<256;x++) {
 		if (x != STDOUT_FILENO)
diff --git a/apps/app_nbscat.c b/apps/app_nbscat.c
index a557f2dfae..05fb4e4425 100644
--- a/apps/app_nbscat.c
+++ b/apps/app_nbscat.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ ASTERISK_FILE_VERSION(__FILE__, "$Revision$")
 #include "asterisk/pbx.h"
 #include "asterisk/module.h"
 #include "asterisk/translate.h"
+#include "asterisk/options.h"
 
 #define LOCAL_NBSCAT "/usr/local/bin/nbscat8k"
 #define NBSCAT "/usr/bin/nbscat8k"
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ static int NBScatplay(int fd)
 		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Fork failed\n");
 	if (res)
 		return res;
+	if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+		ast_set_priority(0);
+
 	dup2(fd, STDOUT_FILENO);
 	for (x=0;x<256;x++) {
 		if (x != STDOUT_FILENO)
diff --git a/apps/app_zapras.c b/apps/app_zapras.c
index c95f752384..d75d2ee7c7 100644
--- a/apps/app_zapras.c
+++ b/apps/app_zapras.c
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ static pid_t spawn_ras(struct ast_channel *chan, char *args)
 	/* Execute RAS on File handles */
 	dup2(chan->fds[0], STDIN_FILENO);
 
+	/* Drop high priority */
+	if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+		ast_set_priority(0);
+
 	/* Close other file descriptors */
 	for (x=STDERR_FILENO + 1;x<1024;x++) 
 		close(x);
diff --git a/asterisk.c b/asterisk.c
index db5bf122ce..e256d3f07b 100644
--- a/asterisk.c
+++ b/asterisk.c
@@ -635,6 +635,8 @@ int ast_safe_system(const char *s)
 	pid = fork();
 
 	if (pid == 0) {
+		if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+			ast_set_priority(0);
 		/* Close file descriptors and launch system command */
 		for (x = STDERR_FILENO + 1; x < 4096; x++)
 			close(x);
diff --git a/res/res_musiconhold.c b/res/res_musiconhold.c
index 260a08c437..33d7e59d67 100644
--- a/res/res_musiconhold.c
+++ b/res/res_musiconhold.c
@@ -436,6 +436,10 @@ static int spawn_mp3(struct mohclass *class)
 	}
 	if (!class->pid) {
 		int x;
+
+		if (ast_opt_high_priority)
+			ast_set_priority(0);
+
 		close(fds[0]);
 		/* Stdout goes to pipe */
 		dup2(fds[1], STDOUT_FILENO);