diff --git a/app/routes/forum/index.py b/app/routes/forum/index.py
index dbdbdb8..023b881 100644
--- a/app/routes/forum/index.py
+++ b/app/routes/forum/index.py
@@ -80,4 +80,16 @@ def forum_page(f, page=1):
     topics = f.topics.order_by(Topic.date_created.desc()).paginate(
         page, Forum.TOPICS_PER_PAGE, True)
 
-    return render('/forum/forum.html', f=f, topics=topics, form=form)
+    # Count comments; this direct request avoids performing one request for
+    # each topic.thread.comments.count() in the view, which the database
+    # doesn't really appreciate performance-wise.
+    req_comment_counts = \
+        "SELECT thread_id, COUNT(*) FROM comment WHERE " + \
+        " OR ".join(f"thread_id={t.thread.id}" for t in topics.items) + \
+        " GROUP BY thread_id"
+
+    comment_counts = db.session.execute(req_comment_counts)
+    comment_counts = dict(list(comment_counts))
+
+    return render('/forum/forum.html', f=f, topics=topics, form=form,
+        comment_counts=comment_counts)
diff --git a/app/templates/forum/forum.html b/app/templates/forum/forum.html
index 932fa42..dbd5783 100644
--- a/app/templates/forum/forum.html
+++ b/app/templates/forum/forum.html
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 				<tr><td><a href='{{ url_for('forum_topic', f=t.forum, page=(t,1)) }}'>{{ t.title }}</a></td>
 					<td><a href='{{ url_for('user', username=t.author.name) }}'>{{ t.author.name }}</a></td>
 					<td>{{ t.date_created | date }}</td>
-					<td>{{ t.thread.comments.count() }}</td>
+					<td>{{ comment_counts[t.thread.id] }}</td>
 					<td>{{ t.views }} </td></tr>
 			{% endfor %}
 		</table>