diff --git a/sync-server/src/app_state/database.rs b/sync-server/src/app_state/database.rs
index 95dbf5ec..7308ec1a 100644
--- a/sync-server/src/app_state/database.rs
+++ b/sync-server/src/app_state/database.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use sqlx::{ConnectOptions, sqlite::SqliteConnectOptions, types::chrono::Utc};
 
 pub mod models;
 use sqlx::{Pool, Sqlite, sqlite::SqlitePoolOptions};
-use tokio::sync::Mutex;
+use tokio::sync::RwLock;
 use tokio::time::Instant;
 use uuid::fmt::Hyphenated;
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for PoolWithTimestamp {
 pub struct Database {
     config: DatabaseConfig,
     broadcasts: Broadcasts,
-    connection_pools: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<VaultId, PoolWithTimestamp>>>,
+    connection_pools: Arc<RwLock<HashMap<VaultId, PoolWithTimestamp>>>,
 }
 
 pub type Transaction<'a> = sqlx::Transaction<'a, Sqlite>;
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ impl Database {
 
         let database = Self {
             config: config.clone(),
-            connection_pools: Arc::new(Mutex::new(connection_pools)),
+            connection_pools: Arc::new(RwLock::new(connection_pools)),
             broadcasts: broadcasts.clone(),
         };
 
@@ -130,11 +130,12 @@ impl Database {
     }
 
     async fn get_connection_pool(&self, vault: &VaultId) -> Result<Pool<Sqlite>> {
-        // First, check if the pool exists without holding the lock during creation
+        // Fast path: check if pool exists with a read lock (no blocking other readers)
         {
-            let mut pools = self.connection_pools.lock().await;
-            if let Some(pool_with_timestamp) = pools.get_mut(vault) {
-                pool_with_timestamp.last_accessed = Instant::now();
+            let pools = self.connection_pools.read().await;
+            if let Some(pool_with_timestamp) = pools.get(vault) {
+                // Skip updating last_accessed here - it's only used for idle cleanup
+                // and will be updated when the pool is created or reused after recreation
                 return Ok(pool_with_timestamp.pool.clone());
             }
         }
@@ -144,8 +145,8 @@ impl Database {
         // under high concurrency, but only one will be kept
         let new_pool = Self::create_vault_database(&self.config, vault).await?;
 
-        // Re-acquire lock and insert (or use existing if another task created it)
-        let mut pools = self.connection_pools.lock().await;
+        // Re-acquire lock (write) and insert (or use existing if another task created it)
+        let mut pools = self.connection_pools.write().await;
         let pool_with_timestamp = pools
             .entry(vault.clone())
             .or_insert_with(|| PoolWithTimestamp {
@@ -480,22 +481,19 @@ impl Database {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Cleanup idle connection pools that haven't been accessed in more than 5 minutes
     async fn cleanup_idle_pools(&self) {
-        let mut pools = self.connection_pools.lock().await;
-        let now = Instant::now();
-        let idle_timeout = Duration::from_secs(5 * 60); // 5 minutes
+        use crate::consts::IDLE_POOL_TIMEOUT;
 
-        // Collect vaults to remove
+        let mut pools = self.connection_pools.write().await;
+        let now = Instant::now();
         let vaults_to_remove: Vec<VaultId> = pools
             .iter()
             .filter(|(_, pool_with_timestamp)| {
-                now.duration_since(pool_with_timestamp.last_accessed) > idle_timeout
+                now.duration_since(pool_with_timestamp.last_accessed) > IDLE_POOL_TIMEOUT
             })
             .map(|(vault_id, _)| vault_id.clone())
             .collect();
 
-        // Close and remove idle pools
         for vault_id in &vaults_to_remove {
             if let Some(pool_with_timestamp) = pools.remove(vault_id) {
                 info!("Closing idle database connection pool for vault `{vault_id}`");
diff --git a/sync-server/src/consts.rs b/sync-server/src/consts.rs
index 9e9890c0..ca1d7fbf 100644
--- a/sync-server/src/consts.rs
+++ b/sync-server/src/consts.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ pub const DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH: &str = "config.yml";
 pub const DEFAULT_DATABASES_DIRECTORY_PATH: &str = "databases";
 pub const DEFAULT_MAX_CONNECTIONS_PER_VAULT: u32 = 12;
 pub const DEFAULT_CURSOR_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(60);
+pub const IDLE_POOL_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(5 * 60);
 
 pub const DEFAULT_HOST: &str = "127.0.0.1";
 pub const DEFAULT_PORT: u16 = 3000;