diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt
index 189905f29..4b043fa22 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt
@@ -955,7 +955,9 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
                 // update directories and media files in the local db, delete invalid items
                 updateDBDirectory(directory)
                 if (!directory.isRecycleBin()) {
-                    mediaDB.insertAll(curMedia)
+                    Thread {
+                        mediaDB.insertAll(curMedia)
+                    }.start()
                 }
 
                 getCachedMedia(directory.path, getVideosOnly, getImagesOnly) {
@@ -1029,10 +1031,13 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
             dirs.add(newDir)
             setupAdapter(dirs)
             try {
-                directoryDao.insert(newDir)
-                if (folder != RECYCLE_BIN) {
-                    mediaDB.insertAll(newMedia)
-                }
+                // make sure to create a new thread for these operations, dont just use the common bg thread
+                Thread {
+                    directoryDao.insert(newDir)
+                    if (folder != RECYCLE_BIN) {
+                        mediaDB.insertAll(newMedia)
+                    }
+                }.start()
             } catch (ignored: Exception) {
             }
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MediaActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MediaActivity.kt
index 8b7bae108..5ac44db95 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MediaActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MediaActivity.kt
@@ -873,7 +873,9 @@ class MediaActivity : SimpleActivity(), MediaOperationsListener {
         if (!isFromCache) {
             val mediaToInsert = (mMedia).filter { it is Medium && it.deletedTS == 0L }.map { it as Medium }
             try {
-                mediaDB.insertAll(mediaToInsert)
+                Thread {
+                    mediaDB.insertAll(mediaToInsert)
+                }.start()
             } catch (e: Exception) {
             }
         }