diff --git a/packages/app/src/Application.js b/packages/app/src/Application.js
index e7fe836..7856bea 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/Application.js
+++ b/packages/app/src/Application.js
@@ -238,8 +238,16 @@
     /**
      * Destroy and don't use after this.
      * @param {Boolean} [removeView=false] Automatically remove canvas from DOM.
+     * @param {object|boolean} [stageOptions] - Options parameter. A boolean will act as if all options
+     *  have been set to that value
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.children=false] - if set to true, all the children will have their destroy
+     *  method called as well. 'stageOptions' will be passed on to those calls.
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.texture=false] - Only used for child Sprites if stageOptions.children is set
+     *  to true. Should it destroy the texture of the child sprite
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.baseTexture=false] - Only used for child Sprites if stageOptions.children is set
+     *  to true. Should it destroy the base texture of the child sprite
      */
-    destroy(removeView)
+    destroy(removeView, stageOptions)
     {
         this.resizeTo = null;
 
@@ -251,7 +259,7 @@
             oldTicker.destroy();
         }
 
-        this.stage.destroy();
+        this.stage.destroy(stageOptions);
         this.stage = null;
 
         this.renderer.destroy(removeView);

diff --git a/packages/app/src/Application.js b/packages/app/src/Application.js
index e7fe836..7856bea 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/Application.js
+++ b/packages/app/src/Application.js
@@ -238,8 +238,16 @@
     /**
      * Destroy and don't use after this.
      * @param {Boolean} [removeView=false] Automatically remove canvas from DOM.
+     * @param {object|boolean} [stageOptions] - Options parameter. A boolean will act as if all options
+     *  have been set to that value
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.children=false] - if set to true, all the children will have their destroy
+     *  method called as well. 'stageOptions' will be passed on to those calls.
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.texture=false] - Only used for child Sprites if stageOptions.children is set
+     *  to true. Should it destroy the texture of the child sprite
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.baseTexture=false] - Only used for child Sprites if stageOptions.children is set
+     *  to true. Should it destroy the base texture of the child sprite
      */
-    destroy(removeView)
+    destroy(removeView, stageOptions)
     {
         this.resizeTo = null;
 
@@ -251,7 +259,7 @@
             oldTicker.destroy();
         }
 
-        this.stage.destroy();
+        this.stage.destroy(stageOptions);
         this.stage = null;
 
         this.renderer.destroy(removeView);
diff --git a/packages/app/test/index.js b/packages/app/test/index.js
index 3fe17a8..7b2aa40 100644
--- a/packages/app/test/index.js
+++ b/packages/app/test/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const { Application } = require('../');
 const { autoDetectRenderer } = require('@pixi/canvas-renderer');
-const { Container } = require('@pixi/display');
+const { Container, DisplayObject } = require('@pixi/display');
 const { Ticker, UPDATE_PRIORITY } = require('@pixi/ticker');
 const { skipHello } = require('@pixi/utils');
 
@@ -177,4 +177,44 @@
             app.destroy();
         });
     });
+
+    describe('destroy', function ()
+    {
+        it('should not destroy children by default', function (done)
+        {
+            const app = new Application();
+            const stage = app.stage;
+            const child = new DisplayObject();
+
+            stage.addChild(child);
+
+            app.ticker.addOnce(() =>
+            {
+                app.destroy();
+                expect(stage.children.length).to.be.equals(0);
+                expect(child.transform).to.not.be.null;
+
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('should allow children destroy', function (done)
+        {
+            const app = new Application();
+            const stage = app.stage;
+            const child = new DisplayObject();
+
+            stage.addChild(child);
+
+            app.ticker.addOnce(() =>
+            {
+                app.destroy(false, true);
+                expect(stage.children.length).to.be.equals(0);
+                expect(stage.transform).to.be.null;
+                expect(child.transform).to.be.null;
+
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+    });
 });

diff --git a/packages/app/src/Application.js b/packages/app/src/Application.js
index e7fe836..7856bea 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/Application.js
+++ b/packages/app/src/Application.js
@@ -238,8 +238,16 @@
     /**
      * Destroy and don't use after this.
      * @param {Boolean} [removeView=false] Automatically remove canvas from DOM.
+     * @param {object|boolean} [stageOptions] - Options parameter. A boolean will act as if all options
+     *  have been set to that value
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.children=false] - if set to true, all the children will have their destroy
+     *  method called as well. 'stageOptions' will be passed on to those calls.
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.texture=false] - Only used for child Sprites if stageOptions.children is set
+     *  to true. Should it destroy the texture of the child sprite
+     * @param {boolean} [stageOptions.baseTexture=false] - Only used for child Sprites if stageOptions.children is set
+     *  to true. Should it destroy the base texture of the child sprite
      */
-    destroy(removeView)
+    destroy(removeView, stageOptions)
     {
         this.resizeTo = null;
 
@@ -251,7 +259,7 @@
             oldTicker.destroy();
         }
 
-        this.stage.destroy();
+        this.stage.destroy(stageOptions);
         this.stage = null;
 
         this.renderer.destroy(removeView);
diff --git a/packages/app/test/index.js b/packages/app/test/index.js
index 3fe17a8..7b2aa40 100644
--- a/packages/app/test/index.js
+++ b/packages/app/test/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const { Application } = require('../');
 const { autoDetectRenderer } = require('@pixi/canvas-renderer');
-const { Container } = require('@pixi/display');
+const { Container, DisplayObject } = require('@pixi/display');
 const { Ticker, UPDATE_PRIORITY } = require('@pixi/ticker');
 const { skipHello } = require('@pixi/utils');
 
@@ -177,4 +177,44 @@
             app.destroy();
         });
     });
+
+    describe('destroy', function ()
+    {
+        it('should not destroy children by default', function (done)
+        {
+            const app = new Application();
+            const stage = app.stage;
+            const child = new DisplayObject();
+
+            stage.addChild(child);
+
+            app.ticker.addOnce(() =>
+            {
+                app.destroy();
+                expect(stage.children.length).to.be.equals(0);
+                expect(child.transform).to.not.be.null;
+
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('should allow children destroy', function (done)
+        {
+            const app = new Application();
+            const stage = app.stage;
+            const child = new DisplayObject();
+
+            stage.addChild(child);
+
+            app.ticker.addOnce(() =>
+            {
+                app.destroy(false, true);
+                expect(stage.children.length).to.be.equals(0);
+                expect(stage.transform).to.be.null;
+                expect(child.transform).to.be.null;
+
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+    });
 });
diff --git a/packages/mixin-app-loader/src/index.js b/packages/mixin-app-loader/src/index.js
index ab28882..5fa0f4f 100644
--- a/packages/mixin-app-loader/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/mixin-app-loader/src/index.js
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@
 // Override the destroy function
 // making sure to destroy the current Loader
 Application.prototype._parentDestroy = Application.prototype.destroy;
-Application.prototype.destroy = function destroy(removeView)
+Application.prototype.destroy = function destroy(removeView, stageOptions)
 {
     if (this._loader)
     {
         this._loader.destroy();
         this._loader = null;
     }
-    this._parentDestroy(removeView);
+    this._parentDestroy(removeView, stageOptions);
 };