diff --git a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/utils.ts b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/utils.ts
index b429f6c8..6014cc25 100644
--- a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/utils.ts
+++ b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/utils.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
 } from "@/lib/services/epcSources";
 import {
   FilterGroups,
+  FilterField,
   PropertyFilter,
   PROPERTY_TYPE_OPTIONS,
   BUILT_FORM_OPTIONS,
@@ -681,25 +682,62 @@ function buildWhereClause(filterGroups: FilterGroups): ReturnType<typeof sql> {
     : sql``;
 }
 
+// Filter fields whose SQL references the EPC graph (epc/bp/epl/epp) vs the
+// default-plan LATERAL. The count query only needs a join when an active filter
+// references it — otherwise joining is pure cost. The `pl` LATERAL in particular
+// runs once per property (31k+ correlated plan lookups for a large portfolio),
+// which alone pushed the unfiltered count past Vercel's 15s limit.
+const EPC_JOIN_FILTER_FIELDS = new Set<FilterField>([
+  "currentEpc",
+  "lodgedEpc",
+  "provenance",
+  "co2Emissions",
+  "floorArea",
+  "epcExpiryDate",
+  "mainfuel",
+]);
+const PLAN_JOIN_FILTER_FIELDS = new Set<FilterField>(["expectedEpc"]);
+
+function filterFieldsInUse(filterGroups: FilterGroups): Set<FilterField> {
+  const fields = new Set<FilterField>();
+  for (const group of filterGroups) {
+    for (const cond of group.conditions) fields.add(cond.field);
+  }
+  return fields;
+}
+
 export async function getPropertiesCount(
   portfolioId: string,
   filterGroups: FilterGroups = []
 ): Promise<number> {
   const combinedWhere = buildWhereClause(filterGroups);
+  const fields = filterFieldsInUse(filterGroups);
 
-  const result = await db.execute<{ count: string }>(sql`
-    SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT p.id)::int AS count
-    FROM property p
-    LEFT JOIN property_details_epc epc ON epc.property_id = p.id
-    ${newApproachJoins}
-    LEFT JOIN LATERAL (
+  // Only join what an active filter needs. COUNT is unaffected by the LEFT JOINs
+  // otherwise (none multiply rows), so omitting them is purely a speed-up.
+  const needsEpcJoins = [...fields].some((f) => EPC_JOIN_FILTER_FIELDS.has(f));
+  const needsPlanJoin = [...fields].some((f) => PLAN_JOIN_FILTER_FIELDS.has(f));
+
+  const epcJoins = needsEpcJoins
+    ? sql`LEFT JOIN property_details_epc epc ON epc.property_id = p.id
+    ${newApproachJoins}`
+    : sql``;
+  const planJoin = needsPlanJoin
+    ? sql`LEFT JOIN LATERAL (
       SELECT id, post_sap_points FROM plan
       WHERE property_id = p.id
         AND portfolio_id = p.portfolio_id
         AND is_default = true
       ORDER BY created_at DESC
       LIMIT 1
-    ) pl ON true
+    ) pl ON true`
+    : sql``;
+
+  const result = await db.execute<{ count: string }>(sql`
+    SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT p.id)::int AS count
+    FROM property p
+    ${epcJoins}
+    ${planJoin}
     WHERE p.portfolio_id = ${portfolioId}
     ${combinedWhere}
   `);