diff --git a/WebDriverAgentLib/Commands/FBSessionCommands.m b/WebDriverAgentLib/Commands/FBSessionCommands.m
index c490a6820..7b3c4dbb5 100644
--- a/WebDriverAgentLib/Commands/FBSessionCommands.m
+++ b/WebDriverAgentLib/Commands/FBSessionCommands.m
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ + (NSArray *)routes
       FB_SETTING_DISMISS_ALERT_BUTTON_SELECTOR: FBConfiguration.dismissAlertButtonSelector,
       FB_SETTING_DEFAULT_ALERT_ACTION: request.session.defaultAlertAction ?: @"",
       FB_SETTING_MAX_TYPING_FREQUENCY: @([FBConfiguration maxTypingFrequency]),
+      FB_SETTING_RESPECT_SYSTEM_ALERTS: @([FBConfiguration shouldRespectSystemAlerts]),
 #if !TARGET_OS_TV
       FB_SETTING_SCREENSHOT_ORIENTATION: [FBConfiguration humanReadableScreenshotOrientation],
 #endif
@@ -385,6 +386,9 @@ + (NSArray *)routes
   if (nil != [settings objectForKey:FB_SETTING_KEYBOARD_PREDICTION]) {
     [FBConfiguration setKeyboardPrediction:[[settings objectForKey:FB_SETTING_KEYBOARD_PREDICTION] boolValue]];
   }
+  if (nil != [settings objectForKey:FB_SETTING_RESPECT_SYSTEM_ALERTS]) {
+    [FBConfiguration setShouldRespectSystemAlerts:[[settings objectForKey:FB_SETTING_RESPECT_SYSTEM_ALERTS] boolValue]];
+  }
   // SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT setting is deprecated. Please use CUSTOM_SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT instead
   if (nil != [settings objectForKey:FB_SETTING_SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT]) {
     [FBConfiguration setCustomSnapshotTimeout:[[settings objectForKey:FB_SETTING_SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT] doubleValue]];
diff --git a/WebDriverAgentLib/Routing/FBSession.m b/WebDriverAgentLib/Routing/FBSession.m
index 82134e0cc..2b1753cd2 100644
--- a/WebDriverAgentLib/Routing/FBSession.m
+++ b/WebDriverAgentLib/Routing/FBSession.m
@@ -176,6 +176,10 @@ - (XCUIApplication *)activeApplication
   if (nil != self.testedApplication) {
     XCUIApplicationState testedAppState = self.testedApplication.state;
     if (testedAppState >= XCUIApplicationStateRunningForeground) {
+      if ([FBConfiguration shouldRespectSystemAlerts]
+          && [XCUIApplication.fb_systemApplication descendantsMatchingType:XCUIElementTypeAlert].count > 0) {
+        return XCUIApplication.fb_systemApplication;
+      }
       return (XCUIApplication *)self.testedApplication;
     }
     if (self.isTestedApplicationExpectedToRun && testedAppState <= XCUIApplicationStateNotRunning) {
diff --git a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.h b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.h
index c07c31a1e..dc2018928 100644
--- a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.h
+++ b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.h
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ extern NSString *const FBSnapshotMaxDepthKey;
 + (void)setShouldUseSingletonTestManager:(BOOL)value;
 + (BOOL)shouldUseSingletonTestManager;
 
+/* Enforces WDA to verify the presense of system alerts while checking for an active app */
++ (void)setShouldRespectSystemAlerts:(BOOL)value;
++ (BOOL)shouldRespectSystemAlerts;
+
 /**
  * Extract switch value from arguments
  *
diff --git a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.m b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.m
index 3bb740a0b..1d7438ae1 100644
--- a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.m
+++ b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBConfiguration.m
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 static BOOL FBShouldUseTestManagerForVisibilityDetection = NO;
 static BOOL FBShouldUseSingletonTestManager = YES;
+static BOOL FBShouldRespectSystemAlerts = NO;
 
 static NSUInteger FBMjpegScalingFactor = 100;
 static BOOL FBMjpegShouldFixOrientation = NO;
@@ -373,6 +374,16 @@ + (int)snapshotMaxDepth
   return [FBGetCustomParameterForElementSnapshot(FBSnapshotMaxDepthKey) intValue];
 }
 
++ (void)setShouldRespectSystemAlerts:(BOOL)value
+{
+  FBShouldRespectSystemAlerts = value;
+}
+
++ (BOOL)shouldRespectSystemAlerts
+{
+  return FBShouldRespectSystemAlerts;
+}
+
 + (void)setUseFirstMatch:(BOOL)enabled
 {
   FBShouldUseFirstMatch = enabled;
diff --git a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.h b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.h
index 98862f0a0..5f4450110 100644
--- a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.h
+++ b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ extern NSString* const FB_SETTING_SCREENSHOT_ORIENTATION;
 extern NSString* const FB_SETTING_WAIT_FOR_IDLE_TIMEOUT;
 extern NSString* const FB_SETTING_ANIMATION_COOL_OFF_TIMEOUT;
 extern NSString* const FB_SETTING_MAX_TYPING_FREQUENCY;
+extern NSString* const FB_SETTING_RESPECT_SYSTEM_ALERTS;
 
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_END
diff --git a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.m b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.m
index d4715d9a0..a45afeb90 100644
--- a/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.m
+++ b/WebDriverAgentLib/Utilities/FBSettings.m
@@ -34,3 +34,4 @@
 NSString* const FB_SETTING_WAIT_FOR_IDLE_TIMEOUT = @"waitForIdleTimeout";
 NSString* const FB_SETTING_ANIMATION_COOL_OFF_TIMEOUT = @"animationCoolOffTimeout";
 NSString* const FB_SETTING_MAX_TYPING_FREQUENCY = @"maxTypingFrequency";
+NSString* const FB_SETTING_RESPECT_SYSTEM_ALERTS = @"respectSystemAlerts";