diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py b/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py
index 7b81c8df0..510e2b1b3 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py
@@ -2051,6 +2051,35 @@ class TestDocumentApi(DirectoriesMixin, DocumentConsumeDelayMixin, APITestCase):
         self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, status.HTTP_200_OK)
         self.assertEqual(resp.content, b"1000")
 
+    def test_next_asn_no_documents_with_asn(self):
+        """
+        GIVEN:
+            - Existing document, but with no ASN assugned
+        WHEN:
+            - API request to get next ASN
+        THEN:
+            - ASN 1 is returned
+        """
+        user1 = User.objects.create_user(username="test1")
+        user1.user_permissions.add(*Permission.objects.all())
+        user1.save()
+
+        doc1 = Document.objects.create(
+            title="test",
+            mime_type="application/pdf",
+            content="this is a document 1",
+            checksum="1",
+        )
+        doc1.save()
+
+        self.client.force_authenticate(user1)
+
+        resp = self.client.get(
+            "/api/documents/next_asn/",
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, status.HTTP_200_OK)
+        self.assertEqual(resp.content, b"1")
+
 
 class TestDocumentApiV2(DirectoriesMixin, APITestCase):
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/src/documents/views.py b/src/documents/views.py
index 6dd8f3baa..9d44ecbc4 100644
--- a/src/documents/views.py
+++ b/src/documents/views.py
@@ -757,16 +757,12 @@ class UnifiedSearchViewSet(DocumentViewSet):
 
     @action(detail=False, methods=["GET"], name="Get Next ASN")
     def next_asn(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        return Response(
-            (
-                Document.objects.filter(archive_serial_number__gte=0)
-                .order_by("archive_serial_number")
-                .last()
-                .archive_serial_number
-                or 0
-            )
-            + 1,
+        max_asn = Document.objects.aggregate(
+            Max("archive_serial_number", default=0),
+        ).get(
+            "archive_serial_number__max",
         )
+        return Response(max_asn + 1)
 
 
 class LogViewSet(ViewSet):