Dane Foster <studdugie@xxxxxxxxx> writes: >> If the sort is the inner input to a merge join, this could reflect >> mark-and-restore rescanning of the sort's output. Are there a >> whole lot of duplicate keys on the merge's other side? > Yes. The course_id column's values repeat a LOT on the merge side. Hmm. The planner should avoid using a merge join if it knows that to be true. Maybe analyze'ing that table would prompt it to use some other join method? regards, tom lane