diff --git a/packages/backend/src/queue/initialize.ts b/packages/backend/src/queue/initialize.ts
index d866ef61b..569bcc8b6 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/queue/initialize.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/queue/initialize.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,19 @@ export function initialize<T>(name: string, limitPerSec = -1): Bull.Queue<T> {
 function apBackoff(attemptsMade: number /*, err: Error */): number {
 	const baseDelay = MINUTE;
 	const maxBackoff = 8 * HOUR;
+	/*
+	attempt | average seconds + up to 2% random offset
+	0  |     0
+	1  |    60 = 1min
+	2  |   180 = 3min
+	3  |   420 = 7min
+	4  |   900 = 15min
+	5  |  1860 = 31min
+	6  |  3780 = 63min
+	7  |  7620 = 127min ~= 2.1h
+	8  | 15300 = 4.25h
+	>8 | 28800 = 8h
+	*/
 	let backoff = (Math.pow(2, attemptsMade) - 1) * baseDelay;
 	backoff = Math.min(backoff, maxBackoff);
 	backoff += Math.round(backoff * Math.random() * 0.2);
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/queue/processors/deliver.ts b/packages/backend/src/queue/processors/deliver.ts
index 22a770c07..910ee8613 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/queue/processors/deliver.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/queue/processors/deliver.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,18 @@ export default async (job: Bull.Job<DeliverJobData>) => {
 	const { host } = new URL(job.data.to);
 	const puny = toPuny(host);
 
-	if (await shouldSkipInstance(puny)) return 'skip';
+	// for the first few tries (where most attempts will be made)
+	// we assume that inserting deliver jobs took care of this check
+	// only on later attempts do we actually do it, to ease database
+	// performance. this might cause a slight delay of a few minutes
+	// for instance blocks being applied
+	//
+	// with apBackoff, attempt 2 happens ~4min after the initial try, while
+	// attempt 3 happens ~11 min after the initial try, which seems like a
+	// good tradeoff between database and blocks being applied reasonably quick
+	if (job.attemptsMade >= 3 && await shouldSkipInstance(puny)) {
+		return 'skip';
+	}
 
 	const keypair = await getUserKeypair(job.data.user.id);