It seems to me that the planner makes a very poor decision with this particular query: --- snip --- woome=> explain analyze SELECT "webapp_invite"."id", "webapp_invite"."person_id", "webapp_invite"."session_id", "webapp_invite"."created", "webapp_invite"."text", "webapp_invite"."subject", "webapp_invite"."email", "webapp_invite"."batch_seen", "webapp_invite"."woouser", "webapp_invite"."accepted", "webapp_invite"."declined", "webapp_invite"."deleted", "webapp_invite"."local_start_time" FROM "webapp_invite" INNER JOIN "webapp_person" ON ("webapp_invite"."person_id" = "webapp_person"."id") INNER JOIN "webapp_person" T3 ON ("webapp_invite"."person_id" = T3."id") WHERE "webapp_person"."is_suspended" = false AND T3."is_banned" = false AND "webapp_invite"."woouser" = 'suggus' ORDER BY "webapp_invite"."id" DESC LIMIT 5; QUERY PLAN --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Limit (cost=0.00..3324.29 rows=5 width=44) (actual time=2545.137..2545.137 rows=0 loops=1) -> Nested Loop (cost=0.00..207435.61 rows=312 width=44) (actual time=2545.135..2545.135 rows=0 loops=1) -> Nested Loop (cost=0.00..204803.04 rows=322 width=48) (actual time=2545.133..2545.133 rows=0 loops=1) -> Index Scan Backward using webapp_invite_pkey on webapp_invite (cost=0.00..201698.51 rows=382 width=44) (actual time=2545.131..2545.131 rows=0 loops=1) Filter: ((woouser)::text = 'suggus'::text) -> Index Scan using webapp_person_pkey on webapp_person t3 (cost=0.00..8.11 rows=1 width=4) (never executed) Index Cond: (t3.id = webapp_invite.person_id) Filter: (NOT t3.is_banned) -> Index Scan using webapp_person_pkey on webapp_person (cost=0.00..8.16 rows=1 width=4) (never executed) Index Cond: (webapp_person.id = webapp_invite.person_id) Filter: (NOT webapp_person.is_suspended) Total runtime: 2545.284 ms (12 rows) --- snap --- because if I just remove the LIMIT, it runs like the wind: --- snip --- woome=> explain analyze SELECT "webapp_invite"."id", "webapp_invite"."person_id", "webapp_invite"."session_id", "webapp_invite"."created", "webapp_invite"."text", "webapp_invite"."subject", "webapp_invite"."email", "webapp_invite"."batch_seen", "webapp_invite"."woouser", "webapp_invite"."accepted", "webapp_invite"."declined", "webapp_invite"."deleted", "webapp_invite"."local_start_time" FROM "webapp_invite" INNER JOIN "webapp_person" ON ("webapp_invite"."person_id" = "webapp_person"."id") INNER JOIN "webapp_person" T3 ON ("webapp_invite"."person_id" = T3."id") WHERE "webapp_person"."is_suspended" = false AND T3."is_banned" = false AND "webapp_invite"."woouser" = 'suggus' ORDER BY "webapp_invite"."id" DESC; QUERY PLAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sort (cost=7194.46..7195.24 rows=312 width=44) (actual time=0.141..0.141 rows=0 loops=1) Sort Key: webapp_invite.id Sort Method: quicksort Memory: 25kB -> Nested Loop (cost=12.20..7181.53 rows=312 width=44) (actual time=0.087..0.087 rows=0 loops=1) -> Nested Loop (cost=12.20..4548.96 rows=322 width=48) (actual time=0.085..0.085 rows=0 loops=1) -> Bitmap Heap Scan on webapp_invite (cost=12.20..1444.44 rows=382 width=44) (actual time=0.084..0.084 rows=0 loops=1) Recheck Cond: ((woouser)::text = 'suggus'::text) -> Bitmap Index Scan on webapp_invite_woouser_idx (cost=0.00..12.10 rows=382 width=0) (actual time=0.081..0.081 rows=0 loops=1) Index Cond: ((woouser)::text = 'suggus'::text) -> Index Scan using webapp_person_pkey on webapp_person t3 (cost=0.00..8.11 rows=1 width=4) (never executed) Index Cond: (t3.id = webapp_invite.person_id) Filter: (NOT t3.is_banned) -> Index Scan using webapp_person_pkey on webapp_person (cost=0.00..8.16 rows=1 width=4) (never executed) Index Cond: (webapp_person.id = webapp_invite.person_id) Filter: (NOT webapp_person.is_suspended) Total runtime: 0.295 ms (16 rows) --- snap --- And for this particular filter, the result set is empty to boot, so the LIMIT doesn't even do anything. Does this behaviour make sense to anyone? Can I force the planner somehow to be smarter about it? Thanks! Frank