diff --git a/lbry/wallet/database.py b/lbry/wallet/database.py
index ec92d6522..446f53ee5 100644
--- a/lbry/wallet/database.py
+++ b/lbry/wallet/database.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ class AIOSQLite:
         self.write_lock = asyncio.Lock()
         self.writers = 0
         self.read_ready = asyncio.Event()
+        self.urgent_read_done = asyncio.Event()
 
     @classmethod
     async def connect(cls, path: Union[bytes, str], *args, **kwargs):
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ class AIOSQLite:
         )
         await asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(db.writer_executor, _connect_writer)
         db.read_ready.set()
+        db.urgent_read_done.set()
         return db
 
     async def close(self):
@@ -112,12 +114,25 @@ class AIOSQLite:
                              read_only=False, fetch_all: bool = False) -> List[dict]:
         read_only_fn = run_read_only_fetchall if fetch_all else run_read_only_fetchone
         parameters = parameters if parameters is not None else []
+        still_waiting = False
+        urgent_read = False
         if read_only:
-            while self.writers:
-                await self.read_ready.wait()
-            return await asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(
-                self.reader_executor, read_only_fn, sql, parameters
-            )
+            try:
+                while self.writers:  # more writes can come in while we are waiting for the first
+                    if not urgent_read and still_waiting and self.urgent_read_done.is_set():
+                        #  throttle the writes if they pile up
+                        self.urgent_read_done.clear()
+                        urgent_read = True
+                    #  wait until the running writes have finished
+                    await self.read_ready.wait()
+                    still_waiting = True
+                return await asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(
+                    self.reader_executor, read_only_fn, sql, parameters
+                )
+            finally:
+                if urgent_read:
+                    #  unthrottle the writers if they had to be throttled
+                    self.urgent_read_done.set()
         if fetch_all:
             return await self.run(lambda conn: conn.execute(sql, parameters).fetchall())
         return await self.run(lambda conn: conn.execute(sql, parameters).fetchone())
@@ -135,6 +150,7 @@ class AIOSQLite:
         return self.run(lambda conn: conn.execute(sql, parameters))
 
     async def run(self, fun, *args, **kwargs):
+        await self.urgent_read_done.wait()
         self.writers += 1
         self.read_ready.clear()
         try: