diff --git a/e2e/animation/package.json b/e2e/animation/package.json
index 00c40a851..b89e6fd59 100644
--- a/e2e/animation/package.json
+++ b/e2e/animation/package.json
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/chai": "~4.1.7",
     "@types/mocha": "~5.2.5",
-    "@types/node": "~10.12.18",
     "babel-traverse": "6.26.0",
     "babel-types": "6.26.0",
     "babylon": "6.18.0",
diff --git a/e2e/modal-navigation/package.json b/e2e/modal-navigation/package.json
index c3ffbd134..b9fca7282 100644
--- a/e2e/modal-navigation/package.json
+++ b/e2e/modal-navigation/package.json
@@ -19,14 +19,13 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/chai": "~4.1.7",
     "@types/mocha": "~5.2.5",
-    "@types/node": "^7.0.5",
     "mocha": "~5.2.0",
     "mochawesome": "~3.1.2",
     "nativescript-dev-appium": "next",
     "nativescript-dev-typescript": "next",
     "nativescript-dev-webpack": "next",
-    "tns-platform-declarations": "next",
     "rimraf": "^2.6.2",
+    "tns-platform-declarations": "next",
     "typescript": "^3.1.6"
   },
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/e2e/nested-frame-navigation/package.json b/e2e/nested-frame-navigation/package.json
index e9754a49e..a433feba2 100644
--- a/e2e/nested-frame-navigation/package.json
+++ b/e2e/nested-frame-navigation/package.json
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/chai": "~4.1.7",
     "@types/mocha": "~5.2.5",
-    "@types/node": "^7.0.5",
     "mocha": "~5.2.0",
     "mochawesome": "~3.1.2",
     "nativescript-dev-appium": "next",
diff --git a/tests/app/ui/image-cache/image-cache-tests.ts b/tests/app/ui/image-cache/image-cache-tests.ts
index c6237b8ac..946cf426b 100644
--- a/tests/app/ui/image-cache/image-cache-tests.ts
+++ b/tests/app/ui/image-cache/image-cache-tests.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,19 @@
 import * as imageCacheModule from "tns-core-modules/ui/image-cache";
 import * as imageSource from "tns-core-modules/image-source";
 import * as types from "tns-core-modules/utils/types";
+import { device } from "tns-core-modules/platform";
+import lazy from "tns-core-modules/utils/lazy";
+
 import * as TKUnit from "../../TKUnit";
 
+const sdkVersion = lazy(() => parseInt(device.sdkVersion));
+
 export const test_ImageCache_ValidUrl = function() {
+    // see https://github.com/NativeScript/NativeScript/issues/6643
+    if (sdkVersion() < 20) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     const cache = new imageCacheModule.Cache();
     cache.maxRequests = 5;
 
diff --git a/tests/app/utils/utils-tests.ts b/tests/app/utils/utils-tests.ts
index 10e07d498..ac9dd2ab0 100644
--- a/tests/app/utils/utils-tests.ts
+++ b/tests/app/utils/utils-tests.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,47 @@ export function test_releaseNativeObject_canBeCalledWithNativeObject() {
     }
 };
 
+export function test_executeOnMainThread_Works(done: Function) {
+    utils.executeOnMainThread(() => {
+        try {
+            TKUnit.assertTrue(utils.isMainThread());
+            done();
+        } catch (e) {
+            done(e);
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+export function test_dispatchToMainThread_Works(done: Function) {
+    utils.dispatchToMainThread(() => {
+        try {
+            TKUnit.assertTrue(utils.isMainThread());
+            done();
+        } catch (e) {
+            done(e);
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+export function test_mainThreadify_PassesArgs(done: Function) {
+    const expectedN = 434;
+    const expectedB = true;
+    const expectedS = "string";
+    const f = utils.mainThreadify(function (n: number, b: boolean, s: string) {
+        try {
+            TKUnit.assertTrue(utils.isMainThread());
+            TKUnit.assertEqual(n, expectedN);
+            TKUnit.assertEqual(b, expectedB);
+            TKUnit.assertEqual(s, expectedS);
+            done();
+        } catch (e) {
+            done(e);
+        }
+    });
+
+    f(expectedN, expectedB, expectedS);
+}
+
 function test_releaseNativeObject_canBeCalledWithNativeObject_iOS() {
     let deallocated = false;
     const obj = new ((<any>NSObject).extend({
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/debugger/devtools-elements.common.ts b/tns-core-modules/debugger/devtools-elements.common.ts
index 186cfe320..c0b7ac43f 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/debugger/devtools-elements.common.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/debugger/devtools-elements.common.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { getNodeById } from "./dom-node";
 
 // Needed for typings only
 import { ViewBase } from "../ui/core/view-base";
+import { mainThreadify } from "../utils/utils";
 
 // Use lazy requires for core modules
 const frameTopmost = () => require("../ui/frame").topmost();
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ function unsetViewValue(view, name) {
     if (!unsetValue) {
         unsetValue = require("../ui/core/properties").unsetValue;
     }
-    
+
     view[name] = unsetValue;
 }
 
@@ -30,10 +31,10 @@ export function getDocument() {
     if (!topMostFrame) {
         return undefined;
     }
-    
+
     try {
         topMostFrame.ensureDomNode();
-        
+
     } catch (e) {
         console.log("ERROR in getDocument(): " + e);
     }
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ export function getComputedStylesForNode(nodeId): Array<{ name: string, value: s
     return [];
 }
 
-export function removeNode(nodeId) {
+export const removeNode = mainThreadify(function removeNode(nodeId) {
     const view = getViewById(nodeId);
     if (view) {
         // Avoid importing layout and content view
@@ -63,9 +64,9 @@ export function removeNode(nodeId) {
             console.log("Can't remove child from " + parent);
         }
     }
-}
+});
 
-export function setAttributeAsText(nodeId, text, name) {
+export const setAttributeAsText = mainThreadify(function setAttributeAsText(nodeId, text, name) {
     const view = getViewById(nodeId);
     if (view) {
         // attribute is registered for the view instance
@@ -93,4 +94,4 @@ export function setAttributeAsText(nodeId, text, name) {
 
         view.domNode.loadAttributes();
     }
-}
+});
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.android.ts b/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.android.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1ef05eaa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.android.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+export function dispatchToMainThread(func: () => void) {
+    new android.os.Handler(android.os.Looper.getMainLooper())
+        .post(new java.lang.Runnable({
+            run: func
+        }));
+}
+
+export function isMainThread(): Boolean {
+    return android.os.Looper.myLooper() === android.os.Looper.getMainLooper();
+}
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.d.ts b/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46ff0142d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+/**
+ * Dispatches the passed function for execution on the main thread
+ * @param func The function to execute on the main thread.
+ */
+export function dispatchToMainThread(func: Function);
+
+/**
+ * @returns Boolean value indicating whether the current thread is the main thread
+ */
+export function isMainThread(): boolean
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.ios.ts b/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.ios.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..01ed3bb17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tns-core-modules/utils/mainthread-helper.ios.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+export function dispatchToMainThread(func: () => void) {
+    NSOperationQueue.mainQueue.addOperationWithBlock(func);
+}
+
+export function isMainThread(): Boolean {
+    return NSThread.isMainThread;
+}
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/utils/utils-common.ts b/tns-core-modules/utils/utils-common.ts
index 97829e166..6141d8fe5 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/utils/utils-common.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/utils/utils-common.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import * as types from "./types";
+import { dispatchToMainThread, isMainThread } from "./mainthread-helper"
+
+export * from "./mainthread-helper"
 
 export const RESOURCE_PREFIX = "res://";
 export const FILE_PREFIX = "file:///";
@@ -154,3 +157,18 @@ export function hasDuplicates(arr: Array<any>): boolean {
 export function eliminateDuplicates(arr: Array<any>): Array<any> {
     return Array.from(new Set(arr));
 }
+
+export function executeOnMainThread(func: Function) {
+    if (isMainThread()) {
+        return func();
+    } else {
+        dispatchToMainThread(func);
+    }
+}
+
+export function mainThreadify(func: Function): (...args: any[]) => void {
+    return function () {
+        const argsToPass = arguments;
+        executeOnMainThread(() => func.apply(this, argsToPass));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/utils/utils.d.ts b/tns-core-modules/utils/utils.d.ts
index 6058a7508..08a1d80c6 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/utils/utils.d.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/utils/utils.d.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 import { dip, px } from "../ui/core/view";
 
+export * from "./mainthread-helper"
+
 export const RESOURCE_PREFIX: string;
 export const FILE_PREFIX: string;
 
@@ -269,6 +271,22 @@ export function GC();
  */
 export function releaseNativeObject(object: any /*java.lang.Object | NSObject*/);
 
+/**
+ * Checks if the current thread is the main thread. Directly calls the passed function
+ * if it is, or dispatches it to the main thread otherwise.
+ * @param func The function to execute on the main thread.
+ */
+export function executeOnMainThread(func: Function);
+
+/**
+ * Returns a function wrapper which executes the supplied function on the main thread.
+ * The wrapper behaves like the original function and passes all of its arguments BUT
+ * discards its return value.
+ * @param func The function to execute on the main thread
+ * @returns The wrapper function which schedules execution to the main thread
+ */
+export function mainThreadify(func: Function): (...args: any[]) => void
+
 /**
  * Returns true if the specified path points to a resource or local file.
  * @param path The path.