diff --git a/src/documents/apps.py b/src/documents/apps.py
index f3b798c0b..5b5df42d2 100644
--- a/src/documents/apps.py
+++ b/src/documents/apps.py
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 from django.apps import AppConfig
+from django.db.models.signals import post_delete
+from django.db.models.signals import post_save
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
+from treenode.signals import post_delete_treenode
+from treenode.signals import post_save_treenode
 
 
 class DocumentsConfig(AppConfig):
@@ -8,12 +12,14 @@ class DocumentsConfig(AppConfig):
     verbose_name = _("Documents")
 
     def ready(self):
+        from documents.models import Tag
         from documents.signals import document_consumption_finished
         from documents.signals import document_updated
         from documents.signals.handlers import add_inbox_tags
         from documents.signals.handlers import add_to_index
         from documents.signals.handlers import run_workflows_added
         from documents.signals.handlers import run_workflows_updated
+        from documents.signals.handlers import schedule_tag_tree_update
         from documents.signals.handlers import set_correspondent
         from documents.signals.handlers import set_document_type
         from documents.signals.handlers import set_storage_path
@@ -28,6 +34,29 @@ class DocumentsConfig(AppConfig):
         document_consumption_finished.connect(run_workflows_added)
         document_updated.connect(run_workflows_updated)
 
+        # treenode updates the entire tree on every save/delete via hooks
+        # so disconnect for Tags and run once-per-transaction.
+        post_save.disconnect(
+            post_save_treenode,
+            sender=Tag,
+            dispatch_uid="post_save_treenode",
+        )
+        post_delete.disconnect(
+            post_delete_treenode,
+            sender=Tag,
+            dispatch_uid="post_delete_treenode",
+        )
+        post_save.connect(
+            schedule_tag_tree_update,
+            sender=Tag,
+            dispatch_uid="paperless_tag_mark_dirty_save",
+        )
+        post_delete.connect(
+            schedule_tag_tree_update,
+            sender=Tag,
+            dispatch_uid="paperless_tag_mark_dirty_delete",
+        )
+
         import documents.schema  # noqa: F401
 
         AppConfig.ready(self)
diff --git a/src/documents/signals/handlers.py b/src/documents/signals/handlers.py
index 5f2c8b4b2..7d59876f8 100644
--- a/src/documents/signals/handlers.py
+++ b/src/documents/signals/handlers.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from django.db import DatabaseError
 from django.db import close_old_connections
 from django.db import connections
 from django.db import models
+from django.db import transaction
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 from django.utils import timezone
@@ -60,6 +61,8 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("paperless.handlers")
 
+_tag_tree_update_scheduled = False
+
 
 def add_inbox_tags(sender, document: Document, logging_group=None, **kwargs):
     if document.owner is not None:
@@ -944,3 +947,26 @@ def close_connection_pool_on_worker_init(**kwargs):
     for conn in connections.all(initialized_only=True):
         if conn.alias == "default" and hasattr(conn, "pool") and conn.pool:
             conn.close_pool()
+
+
+def schedule_tag_tree_update(**_kwargs):
+    """
+    Schedule a single Tag.update_tree() at transaction commit.
+
+    Treenode's default post_save hooks rebuild the entire tree on every save,
+    which is very slow for large tag sets so collapse to one update per
+    transaction.
+    """
+    global _tag_tree_update_scheduled
+    if _tag_tree_update_scheduled:
+        return
+    _tag_tree_update_scheduled = True
+
+    def _run():
+        global _tag_tree_update_scheduled
+        try:
+            Tag.update_tree()
+        finally:
+            _tag_tree_update_scheduled = False
+
+    transaction.on_commit(_run)
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_tag_hierarchy.py b/src/documents/tests/test_tag_hierarchy.py
index e748225cd..08d317f26 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_tag_hierarchy.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_tag_hierarchy.py
@@ -250,3 +250,16 @@ class TestTagHierarchy(APITestCase):
             row for row in response.data["results"] if row["id"] == self.parent.pk
         )
         assert any(child["id"] == self.child.pk for child in parent_entry["children"])
+
+    def test_tag_tree_deferred_update_runs_on_commit(self):
+        from django.db import transaction
+
+        # Create tags inside an explicit transaction and commit.
+        with transaction.atomic():
+            parent = Tag.objects.create(name="Parent 2")
+            child = Tag.objects.create(name="Child 2", tn_parent=parent)
+        # After commit, tn_* fields should be populated.
+        parent.refresh_from_db()
+        child.refresh_from_db()
+        assert parent.tn_children_count == 1
+        assert child.tn_ancestors_count == 1