diff --git a/pyqtgraph/functions.py b/pyqtgraph/functions.py
index db77ea51..8a250df3 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/functions.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/functions.py
@@ -1678,7 +1678,7 @@ def downsample(data, n, axis=0, xvals='subsample'):
         return MetaArray(d2, info=info)
 
 
-def arrayToQPath(x, y, connect='all'):
+def arrayToQPath(x, y, connect='all', finiteCheck=True):
     """Convert an array of x,y coordinats to QPainterPath as efficiently as possible.
     The *connect* argument may be 'all', indicating that each point should be
     connected to the next; 'pairs', indicating that each pair of points
@@ -1735,7 +1735,7 @@ def arrayToQPath(x, y, connect='all'):
     # Qt version 5.12.3; these must now be manually cleaned out.
     isfinite = None
     qtver = [int(x) for x in QtVersion.split('.')]
-    if qtver >= [5, 12, 3]:
+    if qtver >= [5, 12, 3] and finiteCheck:
         isfinite = np.isfinite(x) & np.isfinite(y)
         if not np.all(isfinite):
             # credit: Divakar https://stackoverflow.com/a/41191127/643629
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotCurveItem.py b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotCurveItem.py
index 06f9bdee..150b755a 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotCurveItem.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotCurveItem.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class PlotCurveItem(GraphicsObject):
             'connect': 'all',
             'mouseWidth': 8, # width of shape responding to mouse click
             'compositionMode': None,
+            'skipFiniteCheck': True
         }
         if 'pen' not in kargs:
             self.opts['pen'] = fn.mkPen('w')
@@ -336,6 +337,11 @@ class PlotCurveItem(GraphicsObject):
                         connectivity, specify an array of boolean values.
         compositionMode See :func:`setCompositionMode
                         <pyqtgraph.PlotCurveItem.setCompositionMode>`.
+        skipFiniteCheck Optimization parameter that can speed up plot time by
+                        telling the painter to not check and compensate for NaN
+                        values.  If set to True, and NaN values exist, the data
+                        may not be displayed or your plot will take a
+                        significant performance hit.  Defaults to False.
         =============== ========================================================
 
         If non-keyword arguments are used, they will be interpreted as
@@ -373,6 +379,7 @@ class PlotCurveItem(GraphicsObject):
             if data.dtype.kind == 'c':
                 raise Exception("Can not plot complex data types.")
 
+
         profiler("data checks")
 
         #self.setCacheMode(QtGui.QGraphicsItem.NoCache)  ## Disabling and re-enabling the cache works around a bug in Qt 4.6 causing the cached results to display incorrectly
@@ -421,6 +428,8 @@ class PlotCurveItem(GraphicsObject):
         if 'antialias' in kargs:
             self.opts['antialias'] = kargs['antialias']
 
+        self.opts['skipFiniteCheck'] = kargs.get('skipFiniteCheck', False)
+
         profiler('set')
         self.update()
         profiler('update')
@@ -458,10 +467,12 @@ class PlotCurveItem(GraphicsObject):
                 y[0] = self.opts['fillLevel']
                 y[-1] = self.opts['fillLevel']
 
-        path = fn.arrayToQPath(x, y, connect=self.opts['connect'])
-
-        return path
-
+        return fn.arrayToQPath(
+            x,
+            y,
+            connect=self.opts['connect'],
+            finiteCheck=not self.opts['skipFiniteCheck']
+        )
 
     def getPath(self):
         if self.path is None:
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotDataItem.py b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotDataItem.py
index c36f4ed1..eb883c22 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotDataItem.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/PlotDataItem.py
@@ -140,6 +140,11 @@ class PlotDataItem(GraphicsObject):
                               at any time.
             dynamicRangeLimit (float or None) Limit off-screen positions of data points at large
                               magnification to avoids display errors. Disabled if None.
+            skipFiniteCheck   (bool) Optimization parameter that can speed up plot time by
+                              telling the painter to not check and compensate for NaN
+                              values.  If set to True, and NaN values exist, the data
+                              may not be displayed or your plot will take a
+                              significant performance hit.  Defaults to False.
             identical         *deprecated*
             ================= =====================================================================
 
@@ -210,7 +215,7 @@ class PlotDataItem(GraphicsObject):
             'clipToView': False,
             'dynamicRangeLimit': 1e6,
             'dynamicRangeHyst': 3.0,
-
+            'skipFiniteCheck': False,
             'data': None,
         }
         self.setCurveClickable(kargs.get('clickable', False))
@@ -605,11 +610,29 @@ class PlotDataItem(GraphicsObject):
         scatterArgs = {}
 
         if styleUpdate: # repeat style arguments only when changed
-            for k,v in [('pen','pen'), ('shadowPen','shadowPen'), ('fillLevel','fillLevel'), ('fillOutline', 'fillOutline'), ('fillBrush', 'brush'), ('antialias', 'antialias'), ('connect', 'connect'), ('stepMode', 'stepMode')]:
+            for k, v in [
+                ('pen','pen'),
+                ('shadowPen','shadowPen'),
+                ('fillLevel','fillLevel'),
+                ('fillOutline', 'fillOutline'),
+                ('fillBrush', 'brush'),
+                ('antialias', 'antialias'),
+                ('connect', 'connect'),
+                ('stepMode', 'stepMode'),
+                ('skipFiniteCheck', 'skipFiniteCheck')
+            ]:
                 if k in self.opts:
                     curveArgs[v] = self.opts[k]
 
-            for k,v in [('symbolPen','pen'), ('symbolBrush','brush'), ('symbol','symbol'), ('symbolSize', 'size'), ('data', 'data'), ('pxMode', 'pxMode'), ('antialias', 'antialias')]:
+            for k, v in [
+                ('symbolPen','pen'),
+                ('symbolBrush','brush'),
+                ('symbol','symbol'),
+                ('symbolSize', 'size'),
+                ('data', 'data'),
+                ('pxMode', 'pxMode'),
+                ('antialias', 'antialias')
+            ]:
                 if k in self.opts:
                     scatterArgs[v] = self.opts[k]