diff --git a/packages/api/src/jobs/bulk_action.ts b/packages/api/src/jobs/bulk_action.ts
index abea14493..56a38f282 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/jobs/bulk_action.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/jobs/bulk_action.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export const bulkAction = async (data: BulkActionData) => {
   do {
     const searchArgs = {
       size: batchSize,
-      query: `(${query}) AND updated:<${now}`,
+      query: `(${query}) AND updated:*..${now}`, // only process items that have not been updated
     }
 
     try {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts b/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts
index 04666c7dc..a33e828f5 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/resolvers/article/index.ts
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ export const bulkActionResolver = authorized<
       const batchSize = 100
       const searchArgs = {
         query,
-        size: batchSize,
+        size: 0,
       }
       const searchResult = await searchLibraryItems(searchArgs, uid)
       const count = searchResult.count
@@ -888,6 +888,7 @@ export const bulkActionResolver = authorized<
       }
 
       if (count <= batchSize) {
+        searchArgs.size = count
         // if there are less than 100 items, update them synchronously
         await batchUpdateLibraryItems(action, searchArgs, uid, labelIds, args)
 
diff --git a/packages/api/src/services/library_item.ts b/packages/api/src/services/library_item.ts
index 5399c3453..dd2384a71 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/services/library_item.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/services/library_item.ts
@@ -972,9 +972,9 @@ export const batchUpdateLibraryItems = async (
   const getLibraryItemIds = async (
     userId: string,
     em: EntityManager
-  ): Promise<string[]> => {
+  ): Promise<{ id: string }[]> => {
     const queryBuilder = getQueryBuilder(userId, em)
-    return queryBuilder.select('library_item.id').getRawMany()
+    return queryBuilder.select('library_item.id', 'id').getRawMany()
   }
 
   if (!searchArgs.query) {
@@ -1006,27 +1006,27 @@ export const batchUpdateLibraryItems = async (
         throw new Error('Labels are required for this action')
       }
 
-      const libraryItemIds = await authTrx(
+      const libraryItems = await authTrx(
         async (tx) => getLibraryItemIds(userId, tx),
         undefined,
         userId
       )
       // add labels to library items
-      for (const libraryItemId of libraryItemIds) {
-        await addLabelsToLibraryItem(labelIds, libraryItemId, userId)
+      for (const libraryItem of libraryItems) {
+        await addLabelsToLibraryItem(labelIds, libraryItem.id, userId)
       }
 
       return
     }
     case BulkActionType.MarkAsRead: {
-      const libraryItemIds = await authTrx(
+      const libraryItems = await authTrx(
         async (tx) => getLibraryItemIds(userId, tx),
         undefined,
         userId
       )
       // update reading progress for library items
-      for (const libraryItemId of libraryItemIds) {
-        await markItemAsRead(libraryItemId, userId)
+      for (const libraryItem of libraryItems) {
+        await markItemAsRead(libraryItem.id, userId)
       }
 
       return