diff --git a/examples/animation.js b/examples/animation.js
index 3bb3ae7cda..136fd54b68 100644
--- a/examples/animation.js
+++ b/examples/animation.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var bern = ol.projection.transform(
 var map = new ol.Map({
   layers: [
     new ol.layer.TileLayer({
-      preload: true,
+      preload: 4,
       source: new ol.source.OpenStreetMap()
     })
   ],
diff --git a/examples/bing-maps.js b/examples/bing-maps.js
index 376dd2c869..4b75f11264 100644
--- a/examples/bing-maps.js
+++ b/examples/bing-maps.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ var layers = [];
 for (var i = 0; i < styles.length; ++i) {
   layers.push(new ol.layer.TileLayer({
     visible: false,
-    preload: true,
+    preload: Infinity,
     source: new ol.source.BingMaps({
       key: 'AgtFlPYDnymLEe9zJ5PCkghbNiFZE9aAtTy3mPaEnEBXqLHtFuTcKoZ-miMC3w7R',
       style: styles[i]
diff --git a/examples/preload.js b/examples/preload.js
index 945c670b16..278e1226b4 100644
--- a/examples/preload.js
+++ b/examples/preload.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ goog.require('ol.source.BingMaps');
 var map1 = new ol.Map({
   layers: [
     new ol.layer.TileLayer({
-      preload: true,
+      preload: Infinity,
       source: new ol.source.BingMaps({
         key: 'AgtFlPYDnymLEe9zJ5PCkghbNiFZE9aAtTy3mPaEnEBXqLHtFuTcKoZ-miMC3w7R',
         style: 'Aerial'
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ var map1 = new ol.Map({
 var map2 = new ol.Map({
   layers: [
     new ol.layer.TileLayer({
-      preload: false,
+      preload: 0, // default value
       source: new ol.source.BingMaps({
         key: 'AgtFlPYDnymLEe9zJ5PCkghbNiFZE9aAtTy3mPaEnEBXqLHtFuTcKoZ-miMC3w7R',
         style: 'AerialWithLabels'
diff --git a/examples/rotation.js b/examples/rotation.js
index 263829a229..75a519f4f9 100644
--- a/examples/rotation.js
+++ b/examples/rotation.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ goog.require('ol.source.OpenStreetMap');
 var map = new ol.Map({
   layers: [
     new ol.layer.TileLayer({
-      preload: true,
+      preload: 4,
       source: new ol.source.OpenStreetMap()
     })
   ],
diff --git a/examples/stamen.js b/examples/stamen.js
index 1507f5f035..d5dd0306cd 100644
--- a/examples/stamen.js
+++ b/examples/stamen.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ goog.require('ol.source.Stamen');
 var map = new ol.Map({
   layers: [
     new ol.layer.TileLayer({
-      preload: true,
+      preload: 4,
       source: new ol.source.Stamen({
         layer: 'watercolor'
       })
diff --git a/src/objectliterals.exports b/src/objectliterals.exports
index aa07df96ef..593cae744f 100644
--- a/src/objectliterals.exports
+++ b/src/objectliterals.exports
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
 @exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.contrast number|undefined
 @exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.hue number|undefined
 @exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.opacity number|undefined
-@exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.preload boolean|undefined
+@exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.preload number|undefined
 @exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.saturation number|undefined
 @exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.source ol.source.Source
 @exportObjectLiteralProperty ol.layer.TileLayerOptions.visible boolean|undefined
diff --git a/src/ol/layer/tilelayer.js b/src/ol/layer/tilelayer.js
index a843713101..bc27f66982 100644
--- a/src/ol/layer/tilelayer.js
+++ b/src/ol/layer/tilelayer.js
@@ -23,17 +23,17 @@ ol.layer.TileLayer = function(options) {
   goog.base(this, options);
 
   this.setPreload(
-      goog.isDef(options.preload) ? options.preload : false);
+      goog.isDef(options.preload) ? options.preload : 0);
 
 };
 goog.inherits(ol.layer.TileLayer, ol.layer.Layer);
 
 
 /**
- * @return {boolean} Preload.
+ * @return {number} Preload.
  */
 ol.layer.TileLayer.prototype.getPreload = function() {
-  return /** @type {boolean} */ (this.get(ol.layer.TileLayerProperty.PRELOAD));
+  return /** @type {number} */ (this.get(ol.layer.TileLayerProperty.PRELOAD));
 };
 goog.exportProperty(
     ol.layer.TileLayer.prototype,
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ ol.layer.TileLayer.prototype.getTileSource = function() {
 
 
 /**
- * @param {boolean} preload Preload.
+ * @param {number} preload Preload.
  */
 ol.layer.TileLayer.prototype.setPreload = function(preload) {
   this.set(ol.layer.TileLayerProperty.PRELOAD, preload);
diff --git a/src/ol/renderer/layerrenderer.js b/src/ol/renderer/layerrenderer.js
index 8a7100ef60..ec05d79c8f 100644
--- a/src/ol/renderer/layerrenderer.js
+++ b/src/ol/renderer/layerrenderer.js
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ ol.renderer.Layer.prototype.snapCenterToPixel =
  * @param {ol.Projection} projection Projection.
  * @param {ol.Extent} extent Extent.
  * @param {number} currentZ Current Z.
- * @param {boolean} preload Preload low resolution tiles.
+ * @param {number} preload Load low resolution tiles up to 'preload' levels.
  * @param {function(this: T, ol.Tile)=} opt_tileCallback Tile callback.
  * @param {T=} opt_obj Object.
  * @protected
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ ol.renderer.Layer.prototype.manageTilePyramid = function(
     tileResolution = tileGrid.getResolution(z);
     for (x = tileRange.minX; x <= tileRange.maxX; ++x) {
       for (y = tileRange.minY; y <= tileRange.maxY; ++y) {
-        if (preload || z == currentZ) {
+        if (currentZ - z <= preload) {
           tile = tileSource.getTile(z, x, y, tileGrid, projection);
           if (tile.getState() == ol.TileState.IDLE) {
             wantedTiles[tile.tileCoord.toString()] = true;