diff --git a/internal/db/bundb/migrations/20250318093828_statuses_public_timeline_reindex.go b/internal/db/bundb/migrations/20250318093828_statuses_public_timeline_reindex.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f1f5b71b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/db/bundb/migrations/20250318093828_statuses_public_timeline_reindex.go
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// GoToSocial
+// Copyright (C) GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package migrations
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/log"
+	"github.com/uptrace/bun"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	up := func(ctx context.Context, db *bun.DB) error {
+		return db.RunInTx(ctx, nil, func(ctx context.Context, tx bun.Tx) error {
+
+			log.Info(ctx, "updating statuses_public_timeline_idx, this may take a bit of time, please wait!!")
+
+			if _, err := tx.
+				NewDropIndex().
+				Index("statuses_public_timeline_idx").
+				IfExists().
+				Exec(ctx); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if _, err := tx.
+				NewCreateIndex().
+				Table("statuses").
+				Index("statuses_public_timeline_idx").
+				Column("visibility", "boost_of_id", "pending_approval").
+				ColumnExpr("? DESC", bun.Ident("id")).
+				IfNotExists().
+				Exec(ctx); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			return nil
+		})
+	}
+
+	down := func(ctx context.Context, db *bun.DB) error {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if err := Migrations.Register(up, down); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/db/bundb/timeline.go b/internal/db/bundb/timeline.go
index f343a28e8..404cb6601 100644
--- a/internal/db/bundb/timeline.go
+++ b/internal/db/bundb/timeline.go
@@ -229,6 +229,8 @@ func (t *timelineDB) GetPublicTimeline(
 		Where("? = ?", bun.Ident("status.visibility"), gtsmodel.VisibilityPublic).
 		// Ignore boosts.
 		Where("? IS NULL", bun.Ident("status.boost_of_id")).
+		// Only include statuses that aren't pending approval.
+		Where("? = ?", bun.Ident("status.pending_approval"), false).
 		// Select only IDs from table
 		Column("status.id")
 
@@ -255,9 +257,6 @@ func (t *timelineDB) GetPublicTimeline(
 		frontToBack = false
 	}
 
-	// Only include statuses that aren't pending approval.
-	q = q.Where("NOT ? = ?", bun.Ident("status.pending_approval"), true)
-
 	if limit > 0 {
 		// limit amount of statuses returned
 		q = q.Limit(limit)