diff --git a/torba/basedatabase.py b/torba/basedatabase.py
index d28b368e3..ba9fbed1b 100644
--- a/torba/basedatabase.py
+++ b/torba/basedatabase.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import logging
 import asyncio
 from asyncio import wrap_future
 from concurrent.futures.thread import ThreadPoolExecutor
+from operator import itemgetter
 
 from typing import Tuple, List, Union, Callable, Any, Awaitable, Iterable
 
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ class AIOSQLite:
         parameters = parameters if parameters is not None else []
         return self.run(lambda conn, sql, parameters: conn.execute(sql, parameters), sql, parameters)
 
-    def run(self, fun: Callable[[sqlite3.Connection, Any, Any], Any], *args, **kwargs) -> Awaitable:
+    def run(self, fun, *args, **kwargs) -> Awaitable:
         return wrap_future(self.executor.submit(self.__run_transaction, fun, *args, **kwargs))
 
     def __run_transaction(self, fun: Callable[[sqlite3.Connection, Any, Any], Any], *args, **kwargs):
@@ -272,56 +273,65 @@ class BaseDatabase(SQLiteMixin):
             'script': sqlite3.Binary(txo.script.source)
         }
 
-    async def save_transaction_io(self, save_tx, tx: BaseTransaction, address, txhash, history):
+    def save_transaction_io(self, save_tx, tx: BaseTransaction, address, txhash, history):
 
-        if save_tx == 'insert':
-            await self.db.execute(*self._insert_sql('tx', {
-                'txid': tx.id,
-                'raw': sqlite3.Binary(tx.raw),
-                'height': tx.height,
-                'position': tx.position,
-                'is_verified': tx.is_verified
-            }))
-        elif save_tx == 'update':
-            await self.db.execute(*self._update_sql("tx", {
-                'height': tx.height, 'position': tx.position, 'is_verified': tx.is_verified
-            }, 'txid = ?', (tx.id,)))
-
-        existing_txos = [r[0] for r in await self.db.execute_fetchall(*query(
-            "SELECT position FROM txo", txid=tx.id
-        ))]
-
-        for txo in tx.outputs:
-            if txo.position in existing_txos:
-                continue
-            if txo.script.is_pay_pubkey_hash and txo.script.values['pubkey_hash'] == txhash:
-                await self.db.execute(*self._insert_sql("txo", self.txo_to_row(tx, address, txo)))
-            elif txo.script.is_pay_script_hash:
-                # TODO: implement script hash payments
-                log.warning('Database.save_transaction_io: pay script hash is not implemented!')
-
-        # lookup the address associated with each TXI (via its TXO)
-        txoid_to_address = {r[0]: r[1] for r in await self.db.execute_fetchall(*query(
-            "SELECT txoid, address FROM txo", txoid__in=[txi.txo_ref.id for txi in tx.inputs]
-        ))}
-
-        # list of TXIs that have already been added
-        existing_txis = [r[0] for r in await self.db.execute_fetchall(*query(
-            "SELECT txoid FROM txi", txid=tx.id
-        ))]
-
-        for txi in tx.inputs:
-            txoid = txi.txo_ref.id
-            new_txi = txoid not in existing_txis
-            address_matches = txoid_to_address.get(txoid) == address
-            if new_txi and address_matches:
-                await self.db.execute(*self._insert_sql("txi", {
+        def _transaction(conn: sqlite3.Connection, save_tx, tx: BaseTransaction, address, txhash, history):
+            if save_tx == 'insert':
+                conn.execute(*self._insert_sql('tx', {
                     'txid': tx.id,
-                    'txoid': txoid,
-                    'address': address,
+                    'raw': sqlite3.Binary(tx.raw),
+                    'height': tx.height,
+                    'position': tx.position,
+                    'is_verified': tx.is_verified
                 }))
+            elif save_tx == 'update':
+                conn.execute(*self._update_sql("tx", {
+                    'height': tx.height, 'position': tx.position, 'is_verified': tx.is_verified
+                }, 'txid = ?', (tx.id,)))
 
-        await self._set_address_history(address, history)
+            existing_txos = set(map(itemgetter(0), conn.execute(*query(
+                "SELECT position FROM txo", txid=tx.id
+            ))))
+
+            txos_insert = []
+            for txo in tx.outputs:
+                if txo.position in existing_txos:
+                    continue
+                if txo.script.is_pay_pubkey_hash and txo.script.values['pubkey_hash'] == txhash:
+                    txos_insert.append(
+                        (tx.id, txo.id, address, txo.position, txo.amount, sqlite3.Binary(txo.script.source))
+                    )
+                elif txo.script.is_pay_script_hash:
+                    # TODO: implement script hash payments
+                    log.warning('Database.save_transaction_io: pay script hash is not implemented!')
+            conn.executemany(
+                'INSERT INTO txo (txid, txoid, address, position, amount, script) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)',
+                txos_insert
+            )
+
+            # lookup the address associated with each TXI (via its TXO)
+            txoid_to_address = {r[0]: r[1] for r in conn.execute(*query(
+                "SELECT txoid, address FROM txo", txoid__in=[txi.txo_ref.id for txi in tx.inputs]
+            ))}
+
+            # list of TXIs that have already been added
+            existing_txis = {r[0] for r in conn.execute(*query(
+                "SELECT txoid FROM txi", txid=tx.id
+            ))}
+
+            txis_insert = []
+            for txi in tx.inputs:
+                txoid = txi.txo_ref.id
+                new_txi = txoid not in existing_txis
+                address_matches = txoid_to_address.get(txoid) == address
+                if new_txi and address_matches:
+                    txis_insert.append((tx.id, txoid, address))
+            conn.executemany('INSERT INTO txi (txid, txoid, address) VALUES (?, ?, ?)', txis_insert)
+            conn.execute(
+                "UPDATE pubkey_address SET history = ?, used_times = ? WHERE address = ?",
+                (history, history.count(':')//2, address)
+            )
+        return self.db.run(_transaction, save_tx, tx, address, txhash, history)
 
     async def reserve_outputs(self, txos, is_reserved=True):
         txoids = [txo.id for txo in txos]