diff --git a/src/documents/serialisers.py b/src/documents/serialisers.py
index 5c90c6f1c..ff4351895 100644
--- a/src/documents/serialisers.py
+++ b/src/documents/serialisers.py
@@ -578,30 +578,34 @@ class TagSerializer(MatchingModelSerializer, OwnedObjectSerializer):
         ),
     )
     def get_children(self, obj):
-        filter_q = self.context.get("document_count_filter")
-        request = self.context.get("request")
-        if filter_q is None:
-            user = getattr(request, "user", None) if request else None
-            filter_q = get_document_count_filter_for_user(user)
-            self.context["document_count_filter"] = filter_q
+        children_map = self.context.get("children_map")
+        if children_map is not None:
+            children = children_map.get(obj.pk, [])
+        else:
+            filter_q = self.context.get("document_count_filter")
+            request = self.context.get("request")
+            if filter_q is None:
+                user = getattr(request, "user", None) if request else None
+                filter_q = get_document_count_filter_for_user(user)
+                self.context["document_count_filter"] = filter_q
 
-        children_queryset = (
-            obj.get_children_queryset()
-            .select_related("owner")
-            .annotate(document_count=Count("documents", filter=filter_q))
-        )
+            children = (
+                obj.get_children_queryset()
+                .select_related("owner")
+                .annotate(document_count=Count("documents", filter=filter_q))
+            )
 
-        view = self.context.get("view")
-        ordering = (
-            OrderingFilter().get_ordering(request, children_queryset, view)
-            if request and view
-            else None
-        )
-        ordering = ordering or (Lower("name"),)
-        children_queryset = children_queryset.order_by(*ordering)
+            view = self.context.get("view")
+            ordering = (
+                OrderingFilter().get_ordering(request, children, view)
+                if request and view
+                else None
+            )
+            ordering = ordering or (Lower("name"),)
+            children = children.order_by(*ordering)
 
         serializer = TagSerializer(
-            children_queryset,
+            children,
             many=True,
             user=self.user,
             full_perms=self.full_perms,
diff --git a/src/documents/views.py b/src/documents/views.py
index ba265926c..244e1cfcd 100644
--- a/src/documents/views.py
+++ b/src/documents/views.py
@@ -448,8 +448,43 @@ class TagViewSet(ModelViewSet, PermissionsAwareDocumentCountMixin):
     def get_serializer_context(self):
         context = super().get_serializer_context()
         context["document_count_filter"] = self.get_document_count_filter()
+        if hasattr(self, "_children_map"):
+            context["children_map"] = self._children_map
         return context
 
+    def list(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Build a children map once to avoid per-parent queries in the serializer.
+        """
+        queryset = self.filter_queryset(self.get_queryset())
+        ordering = OrderingFilter().get_ordering(request, queryset, self) or (
+            Lower("name"),
+        )
+        queryset = queryset.order_by(*ordering)
+
+        all_tags = list(queryset)
+        descendant_pks = {pk for tag in all_tags for pk in tag.get_descendants_pks()}
+
+        if descendant_pks:
+            filter_q = self.get_document_count_filter()
+            children_source = (
+                Tag.objects.filter(pk__in=descendant_pks | {t.pk for t in all_tags})
+                .select_related("owner")
+                .annotate(document_count=Count("documents", filter=filter_q))
+                .order_by(*ordering)
+            )
+        else:
+            children_source = all_tags
+
+        children_map = {}
+        for tag in children_source:
+            children_map.setdefault(tag.tn_parent_id, []).append(tag)
+        self._children_map = children_map
+
+        page = self.paginate_queryset(queryset)
+        serializer = self.get_serializer(page, many=True)
+        return self.get_paginated_response(serializer.data)
+
     def perform_update(self, serializer):
         old_parent = self.get_object().get_parent()
         tag = serializer.save()