diff --git a/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts b/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts
index ff86d934a..b28ca00ad 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ export const bulkActionResolver = authorized<
         },
       })
 
-      const batchSize = 50
+      const batchSize = 20
       const searchArgs = {
         query,
         includePending: true,
@@ -779,13 +779,13 @@ export const bulkActionResolver = authorized<
           action,
           count,
         })
-        // if there are less than 50 items, update them synchronously
+        // if there are less than batchSize items, update them synchronously
         await batchUpdateLibraryItems(action, searchArgs, uid, labelIds, args)
 
         return { success: true }
       }
 
-      // if there are more than 50 items, update them asynchronously
+      // if there are more than batchSize items, update them asynchronously
       const data = {
         userId: uid,
         action,
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/0184.do.add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item.sql b/packages/db/migrations/0184.do.add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item.sql
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..0a68830b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/0184.do.add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-- Type: DO
+-- Name: add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item
+-- Description: Add an index of columns user_id and created_at to the library_item table for counting query
+
+CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY IF NOT EXISTS library_item_user_id_created_at_idx ON omnivore.library_item (user_id, created_at);
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/0184.undo.add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item.sql b/packages/db/migrations/0184.undo.add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item.sql
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..f1a53f399
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/0184.undo.add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+-- Type: UNDO
+-- Name: add_user_id_created_at_index_to_library_item
+-- Description: Add an index of columns user_id and created_at to the library_item table for counting query
+
+BEGIN;
+
+DROP INDEX IF EXISTS omnivore.library_item_user_id_created_at_idx;
+
+COMMIT;