diff --git a/tildes/tildes/models/pagination.py b/tildes/tildes/models/pagination.py
index 1462519..c1353fd 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/models/pagination.py
+++ b/tildes/tildes/models/pagination.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class PaginatedQuery(ModelQuery):
 
         return self
 
-    def remove_before_after(self):
+    def remove_before_after(self) -> PaginatedQuery:
         """Remove all before or after restrictions from query"""
         self.before_id = None
         self.after_id = None
@@ -237,7 +237,11 @@ class PaginatedResults:
             self.has_prev_page = False
 
         # fetch total number of results without pagination
-        self.total_count = len(query.remove_before_after().all())
+        self.total_count = (
+            query.request.db_session.query(func.count())
+            .select_from(query.remove_before_after().statement)
+            .scalar()
+        )
 
     def __iter__(self) -> Iterator[Any]:
         """Iterate over the results."""