diff --git a/backend/app/db/functions/recommendations_functions.py b/backend/app/db/functions/recommendations_functions.py
index 141ba2dd..09d6da83 100644
--- a/backend/app/db/functions/recommendations_functions.py
+++ b/backend/app/db/functions/recommendations_functions.py
@@ -673,22 +673,17 @@ def get_scenarios_by_portfolio_id(portfolio_id: int) -> List[ScenarioModel]:
         return session_any.exec(stmt).scalars().all()
 
 
-def get_default_plans_and_scenarios(
+def get_default_plans(
     portfolio_id: int,
-) -> Tuple[List[PlanModel], List[ScenarioModel]]:
+) -> List[PlanModel]:
     plan_stmt = select(PlanModel).where(
         (PlanModel.portfolio_id == portfolio_id) & (PlanModel.is_default == True)
     )
-    scenario_stmt = select(ScenarioModel).where(
-        (ScenarioModel.portfolio_id == portfolio_id)
-        & (ScenarioModel.is_default == True)
-    )
 
     with db_read_session() as session:
         session_any: Any = session  # Typehint as Any to satisfy Pylance...
         plans: List[PlanModel] = session_any.exec(plan_stmt).scalars().all()
-        scenarios: List[ScenarioModel] = session_any.exec(scenario_stmt).scalars().all()
-        return (plans, scenarios)
+        return plans
 
 
 def bulk_update_plans(
diff --git a/backend/categorisation/processor.py b/backend/categorisation/processor.py
index 95d4de3a..09db2983 100644
--- a/backend/categorisation/processor.py
+++ b/backend/categorisation/processor.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 
 from backend.app.db.functions.recommendations_functions import (
     bulk_update_plans,
-    get_default_plans_and_scenarios,
+    get_default_plans,
     get_most_recent_plans_by_portfolio_id,
     get_most_recent_plans_by_scenario_ids,
     get_scenarios_by_portfolio_id,
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ def process_portfolio(
 ) -> None:  # TODO: make this a class
     logger.info(f"Processing portfolio {portfolio_id}")
 
+    all_scenarios: List[Scenario] = _load_scenarios_for_portfolio(portfolio_id)
     plans_by_id: Dict[int, Plan] = {}  # TODO: make this an in-memory repository class
 
     if scenarios_to_consider:
@@ -33,14 +34,14 @@ def process_portfolio(
 
     # first get all plans that we're interested in
     plans_for_consideration: List[Plan] = _load_plans_for_portfolio(
-        portfolio_id, scenarios_to_consider
+        portfolio_id, all_scenarios, scenarios_to_consider
     )
     for plan in plans_for_consideration:
         if plan.id is not None:  # just in case
             plans_by_id[plan.id] = plan
 
     # then unset existing defaults on domain objects regardless of whether they're under consideration or not
-    default_plans: List[Plan] = _get_default_plans(portfolio_id)
+    default_plans: List[Plan] = _get_default_plans(portfolio_id, all_scenarios)
     for plan in default_plans:
         plan.set_default(False)
         if plan.id is not None:  # just in case
@@ -108,26 +109,28 @@ def choose_cheapest_relevant_plan(
     return cheapest_plans[0]
 
 
-def _get_default_plans(portfolio_id: int) -> List[Plan]:
-    default_plan_models, default_scenario_models = get_default_plans_and_scenarios(
-        portfolio_id
-    )
+def _get_default_plans(portfolio_id: int, scenarios: List[Scenario]) -> List[Plan]:
+    default_plan_models = get_default_plans(portfolio_id)
+
+    scenario_map = {s.id: s for s in scenarios}
 
     return [
-        Plan.from_sqlalchemy(
-            p,
-            next(
-                Scenario.from_sqlalchemy(s)
-                for s in default_scenario_models
-                if s.id == p.scenario_id
-            ),
-        )
+        Plan.from_sqlalchemy(p, scenario_map[p.scenario_id])
         for p in default_plan_models
+        if p.scenario_id in scenario_map
     ]
 
 
+def _load_scenarios_for_portfolio(portfolio_id: int) -> List[Scenario]:
+    scenario_models: List[ScenarioModel] = get_scenarios_by_portfolio_id(portfolio_id)
+
+    return [Scenario.from_sqlalchemy(s) for s in scenario_models]
+
+
 def _load_plans_for_portfolio(
-    portfolio_id: int, scenarios_to_consider: Optional[List[int]] = None
+    portfolio_id: int,
+    all_scenarios: List[Scenario],
+    scenarios_to_consider: Optional[List[int]] = None,
 ) -> List[Plan]:
 
     if scenarios_to_consider:
@@ -146,21 +149,17 @@ def _load_plans_for_portfolio(
 
     plans: List[Plan] = []
 
-    scenarios: List[ScenarioModel] = get_scenarios_by_portfolio_id(portfolio_id)
-
-    if not scenarios:
+    if not all_scenarios:
         raise Exception(f"No scenarios found for Portfolio {portfolio_id}")
 
     for model in plan_models:
 
-        scenario_model = next((s for s in scenarios if s.id == model.scenario_id))
-        if not scenario_model:
+        scenario = next((s for s in all_scenarios if s.id == model.scenario_id))
+        if not scenario:
             logger.info(f"No Scenario associated with Plan of ID {model.id}")
             continue
 
-        plans.append(
-            Plan.from_sqlalchemy(model, Scenario.from_sqlalchemy(scenario_model))
-        )
+        plans.append(Plan.from_sqlalchemy(model, scenario))
 
     logger.info(f"Got {len(plans)} Plans")
     return plans