diff --git a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.h b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.h
index 2a3ec7f821..1956760899 100644
--- a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.h
+++ b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.h
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ typedef NS_ENUM(NSUInteger, ASMultiplexImageNodeErrorCode) {
 @property (nonatomic, readonly) id displayedImageIdentifier;
 
 /**
- * @abstract The image manager that this image node should use when requesting images from the Photos framework. Defaults to `PHImageManager.defaultManager`.
+ * @abstract The image manager that this image node should use when requesting images from the Photos framework. If this is `nil` (the default), then `PHImageManager.defaultManager` is used.
  
  * @see `+[NSURL URLWithAssetLocalIdentifier:targetSize:contentMode:options:]` below.
  */
diff --git a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
index 057cf279af..4ffb8a1275 100644
--- a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
+++ b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASMultiplexImageNode.mm
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@ typedef void(^ASMultiplexImageLoadCompletionBlock)(UIImage *image, id imageIdent
 
   _cache = cache;
   _downloader = downloader;
-  _imageManager = PHImageManager.defaultManager;
   self.shouldBypassEnsureDisplay = YES;
 
   return self;
@@ -543,7 +542,8 @@ typedef void(^ASMultiplexImageLoadCompletionBlock)(UIImage *image, id imageIdent
       options.synchronous = YES;
     }
     
-    [self.imageManager requestImageForAsset:imageAsset targetSize:request.targetSize contentMode:request.contentMode options:options resultHandler:^(UIImage *image, NSDictionary *info) {
+    PHImageManager *imageManager = self.imageManager ?: PHImageManager.defaultManager;
+    [imageManager requestImageForAsset:imageAsset targetSize:request.targetSize contentMode:request.contentMode options:options resultHandler:^(UIImage *image, NSDictionary *info) {
       if (NSThread.isMainThread) {
         dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue(QOS_CLASS_DEFAULT, 0), ^{
           completionBlock(image, info[PHImageErrorKey]);