diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/filter.go b/pkg/sqlite/filter.go
index 143487af2..fa6759ae6 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/filter.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/filter.go
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ type join struct {
 	onClause string
 	joinType string
 	args     []interface{}
+
+	// if true, indicates this is required for sorting only
+	sort bool
 }
 
 // equals returns true if the other join alias/table is equal to this one
@@ -127,30 +130,45 @@ func (j join) toSQL() string {
 
 type joins []join
 
+// addUnique only adds if not already present
+// returns true if added
+func (j *joins) addUnique(newJoin join) bool {
+	found := false
+	for i, jj := range *j {
+		if jj.equals(newJoin) {
+			found = true
+			// if sort is false on the new join, but true on the existing, set the false
+			if !newJoin.sort && jj.sort {
+				(*j)[i].sort = false
+			}
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !found {
+		*j = append(*j, newJoin)
+	}
+	return !found
+}
+
 func (j *joins) add(newJoins ...join) {
 	// only add if not already joined
 	for _, newJoin := range newJoins {
-		found := false
-		for _, jj := range *j {
-			if jj.equals(newJoin) {
-				found = true
-				break
-			}
-		}
-
-		if !found {
-			*j = append(*j, newJoin)
-		}
+		j.addUnique(newJoin)
 	}
 }
 
-func (j *joins) toSQL() string {
+func (j *joins) toSQL(includeSortPagination bool) string {
 	if len(*j) == 0 {
 		return ""
 	}
 
 	var ret []string
 	for _, jj := range *j {
+		// skip sort-only joins if not including sort/pagination
+		if !includeSortPagination && jj.sort {
+			continue
+		}
 		ret = append(ret, jj.toSQL())
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/gallery.go b/pkg/sqlite/gallery.go
index 9cfe38b1f..a63e84214 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/gallery.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/gallery.go
@@ -800,10 +800,12 @@ func (qb *GalleryStore) setGallerySort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.F
 	addFileTable := func() {
 		query.addJoins(
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    galleriesFilesTable,
 				onClause: "galleries_files.gallery_id = galleries.id",
 			},
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    fileTable,
 				onClause: "galleries_files.file_id = files.id",
 			},
@@ -813,10 +815,12 @@ func (qb *GalleryStore) setGallerySort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.F
 	addFolderTable := func() {
 		query.addJoins(
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    folderTable,
 				onClause: "folders.id = galleries.folder_id",
 			},
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    folderTable,
 				as:       "file_folder",
 				onClause: "files.parent_folder_id = file_folder.id",
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/group.go b/pkg/sqlite/group.go
index f0f8d6b40..9d0527752 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/group.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/group.go
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ func (qb *GroupStore) setGroupSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.FindF
 		} else {
 			// this will give unexpected results if the query is not filtered by a parent group and
 			// the group has multiple parents and order indexes
-			query.join(groupRelationsTable, "", "groups.id = groups_relations.sub_id")
+			query.joinSort(groupRelationsTable, "", "groups.id = groups_relations.sub_id")
 			query.sortAndPagination += getSort("order_index", direction, groupRelationsTable)
 		}
 	case "tag_count":
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/image.go b/pkg/sqlite/image.go
index 1588fa415..a903a62fd 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/image.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/image.go
@@ -965,10 +965,12 @@ func (qb *ImageStore) setImageSortAndPagination(q *queryBuilder, findFilter *mod
 		addFilesJoin := func() {
 			q.addJoins(
 				join{
+					sort:     true,
 					table:    imagesFilesTable,
 					onClause: "images_files.image_id = images.id",
 				},
 				join{
+					sort:     true,
 					table:    fileTable,
 					onClause: "images_files.file_id = files.id",
 				},
@@ -977,6 +979,7 @@ func (qb *ImageStore) setImageSortAndPagination(q *queryBuilder, findFilter *mod
 
 		addFolderJoin := func() {
 			q.addJoins(join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    folderTable,
 				onClause: "files.parent_folder_id = folders.id",
 			})
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/query.go b/pkg/sqlite/query.go
index 4f4c0c8db..99c1f4e5f 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/query.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/query.go
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ type queryBuilder struct {
 	sortAndPagination string
 }
 
-func (qb queryBuilder) body() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("SELECT %s FROM %s%s", strings.Join(qb.columns, ", "), qb.from, qb.joins.toSQL())
+func (qb queryBuilder) body(includeSortPagination bool) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("SELECT %s FROM %s%s", strings.Join(qb.columns, ", "), qb.from, qb.joins.toSQL(includeSortPagination))
 }
 
 func (qb *queryBuilder) addColumn(column string) {
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func (qb *queryBuilder) addColumn(column string) {
 }
 
 func (qb queryBuilder) toSQL(includeSortPagination bool) string {
-	body := qb.body()
+	body := qb.body(includeSortPagination)
 
 	withClause := ""
 	if len(qb.withClauses) > 0 {
@@ -59,12 +59,14 @@ func (qb queryBuilder) findIDs(ctx context.Context) ([]int, error) {
 }
 
 func (qb queryBuilder) executeFind(ctx context.Context) ([]int, int, error) {
-	body := qb.body()
+	const includeSortPagination = true
+	body := qb.body(includeSortPagination)
 	return qb.repository.executeFindQuery(ctx, body, qb.args, qb.sortAndPagination, qb.whereClauses, qb.havingClauses, qb.withClauses, qb.recursiveWith)
 }
 
 func (qb queryBuilder) executeCount(ctx context.Context) (int, error) {
-	body := qb.body()
+	const includeSortPagination = false
+	body := qb.body(includeSortPagination)
 
 	withClause := ""
 	if len(qb.withClauses) > 0 {
@@ -131,10 +133,23 @@ func (qb *queryBuilder) join(table, as, onClause string) {
 	qb.joins.add(newJoin)
 }
 
+func (qb *queryBuilder) joinSort(table, as, onClause string) {
+	newJoin := join{
+		sort:     true,
+		table:    table,
+		as:       as,
+		onClause: onClause,
+		joinType: "LEFT",
+	}
+
+	qb.joins.add(newJoin)
+}
+
 func (qb *queryBuilder) addJoins(joins ...join) {
-	qb.joins.add(joins...)
 	for _, j := range joins {
-		qb.args = append(qb.args, j.args...)
+		if qb.joins.addUnique(j) {
+			qb.args = append(qb.args, j.args...)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/repository.go b/pkg/sqlite/repository.go
index ac2954cfb..18d501e3a 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/repository.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/repository.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (r *repository) runIdsQuery(ctx context.Context, query string, args []inter
 }
 
 func (r *repository) queryFunc(ctx context.Context, query string, args []interface{}, single bool, f func(rows *sqlx.Rows) error) error {
-	rows, err := dbWrapper.Queryx(ctx, query, args...)
+	rows, err := dbWrapper.QueryxContext(ctx, query, args...)
 
 	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 		return err
@@ -119,13 +119,12 @@ func (r *repository) queryFunc(ctx context.Context, query string, args []interfa
 	return nil
 }
 
+// queryStruct executes a query and scans the result into the provided struct.
+// Unlike the other query methods, this will return an error if no rows are found.
 func (r *repository) queryStruct(ctx context.Context, query string, args []interface{}, out interface{}) error {
-	if err := r.queryFunc(ctx, query, args, true, func(rows *sqlx.Rows) error {
-		if err := rows.StructScan(out); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		return nil
-	}); err != nil {
+	// changed from queryFunc, since it was not logging the performance correctly,
+	// since the query doesn't actually execute until Scan is called
+	if err := dbWrapper.Get(ctx, out, query, args...); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("executing query: %s [%v]: %w", query, args, err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/scene.go b/pkg/sqlite/scene.go
index 40feb5847..955a98419 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/scene.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/scene.go
@@ -1157,10 +1157,12 @@ func (qb *SceneStore) setSceneSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.FindF
 	addFileTable := func() {
 		query.addJoins(
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    scenesFilesTable,
 				onClause: "scenes_files.scene_id = scenes.id",
 			},
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    fileTable,
 				onClause: "scenes_files.file_id = files.id",
 			},
@@ -1171,6 +1173,7 @@ func (qb *SceneStore) setSceneSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.FindF
 		addFileTable()
 		query.addJoins(
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    videoFileTable,
 				onClause: "video_files.file_id = scenes_files.file_id",
 			},
@@ -1180,6 +1183,7 @@ func (qb *SceneStore) setSceneSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.FindF
 	addFolderTable := func() {
 		query.addJoins(
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    folderTable,
 				onClause: "files.parent_folder_id = folders.id",
 			},
@@ -1189,10 +1193,10 @@ func (qb *SceneStore) setSceneSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.FindF
 	direction := findFilter.GetDirection()
 	switch sort {
 	case "movie_scene_number":
-		query.join(groupsScenesTable, "", "scenes.id = groups_scenes.scene_id")
+		query.joinSort(groupsScenesTable, "", "scenes.id = groups_scenes.scene_id")
 		query.sortAndPagination += getSort("scene_index", direction, groupsScenesTable)
 	case "group_scene_number":
-		query.join(groupsScenesTable, "scene_group", "scenes.id = scene_group.scene_id")
+		query.joinSort(groupsScenesTable, "scene_group", "scenes.id = scene_group.scene_id")
 		query.sortAndPagination += getSort("scene_index", direction, "scene_group")
 	case "tag_count":
 		query.sortAndPagination += getCountSort(sceneTable, scenesTagsTable, sceneIDColumn, direction)
@@ -1210,6 +1214,7 @@ func (qb *SceneStore) setSceneSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.FindF
 		addFileTable()
 		query.addJoins(
 			join{
+				sort:     true,
 				table:    fingerprintTable,
 				as:       "fingerprints_phash",
 				onClause: "scenes_files.file_id = fingerprints_phash.file_id AND fingerprints_phash.type = 'phash'",
@@ -1274,7 +1279,7 @@ func (qb *SceneStore) setSceneSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *models.FindF
 			getSortDirection(direction),
 		)
 	case "studio":
-		query.join(studioTable, "", "scenes.studio_id = studios.id")
+		query.joinSort(studioTable, "", "scenes.studio_id = studios.id")
 		query.sortAndPagination += getSort("name", direction, studioTable)
 	default:
 		query.sortAndPagination += getSort(sort, direction, "scenes")
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/scene_marker.go b/pkg/sqlite/scene_marker.go
index 59a4137e1..d47df0e0f 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/scene_marker.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/scene_marker.go
@@ -392,10 +392,10 @@ func (qb *SceneMarkerStore) setSceneMarkerSort(query *queryBuilder, findFilter *
 	switch sort {
 	case "scenes_updated_at":
 		sort = "updated_at"
-		query.join(sceneTable, "", "scenes.id = scene_markers.scene_id")
+		query.joinSort(sceneTable, "", "scenes.id = scene_markers.scene_id")
 		query.sortAndPagination += getSort(sort, direction, sceneTable)
 	case "title":
-		query.join(tagTable, "", "scene_markers.primary_tag_id = tags.id")
+		query.joinSort(tagTable, "", "scene_markers.primary_tag_id = tags.id")
 		query.sortAndPagination += " ORDER BY COALESCE(NULLIF(scene_markers.title,''), tags.name) COLLATE NATURAL_CI " + direction
 	case "duration":
 		sort = "(scene_markers.end_seconds - scene_markers.seconds)"
diff --git a/pkg/sqlite/tx.go b/pkg/sqlite/tx.go
index a2e272aa9..b6701dc81 100644
--- a/pkg/sqlite/tx.go
+++ b/pkg/sqlite/tx.go
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ const (
 
 type dbReader interface {
 	Get(dest interface{}, query string, args ...interface{}) error
-	Select(dest interface{}, query string, args ...interface{}) error
-	Queryx(query string, args ...interface{}) (*sqlx.Rows, error)
+	GetContext(ctx context.Context, dest interface{}, query string, args ...interface{}) error
+	SelectContext(ctx context.Context, dest interface{}, query string, args ...interface{}) error
 	QueryxContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args ...interface{}) (*sqlx.Rows, error)
 }
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (*dbWrapperType) Get(ctx context.Context, dest interface{}, query string, a
 	}
 
 	start := time.Now()
-	err = tx.Get(dest, query, args...)
+	err = tx.GetContext(ctx, dest, query, args...)
 	logSQL(start, query, args...)
 
 	return sqlError(err, query, args...)
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func (*dbWrapperType) Select(ctx context.Context, dest interface{}, query string
 	}
 
 	start := time.Now()
-	err = tx.Select(dest, query, args...)
+	err = tx.SelectContext(ctx, dest, query, args...)
 	logSQL(start, query, args...)
 
 	return sqlError(err, query, args...)
@@ -80,23 +80,14 @@ func (*dbWrapperType) Queryx(ctx context.Context, query string, args ...interfac
 	}
 
 	start := time.Now()
-	ret, err := tx.Queryx(query, args...)
+	ret, err := tx.QueryxContext(ctx, query, args...)
 	logSQL(start, query, args...)
 
 	return ret, sqlError(err, query, args...)
 }
 
 func (*dbWrapperType) QueryxContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args ...interface{}) (*sqlx.Rows, error) {
-	tx, err := getDBReader(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, sqlError(err, query, args...)
-	}
-
-	start := time.Now()
-	ret, err := tx.QueryxContext(ctx, query, args...)
-	logSQL(start, query, args...)
-
-	return ret, sqlError(err, query, args...)
+	return dbWrapper.Queryx(ctx, query, args...)
 }
 
 func (*dbWrapperType) NamedExec(ctx context.Context, query string, arg interface{}) (sql.Result, error) {
@@ -106,7 +97,7 @@ func (*dbWrapperType) NamedExec(ctx context.Context, query string, arg interface
 	}
 
 	start := time.Now()
-	ret, err := tx.NamedExec(query, arg)
+	ret, err := tx.NamedExecContext(ctx, query, arg)
 	logSQL(start, query, arg)
 
 	return ret, sqlError(err, query, arg)
@@ -119,7 +110,7 @@ func (*dbWrapperType) Exec(ctx context.Context, query string, args ...interface{
 	}
 
 	start := time.Now()
-	ret, err := tx.Exec(query, args...)
+	ret, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, query, args...)
 	logSQL(start, query, args...)
 
 	return ret, sqlError(err, query, args...)