diff --git a/api/src/controllers/seed/images.ts b/api/src/controllers/seed/images.ts
index f7174096..26d42af9 100644
--- a/api/src/controllers/seed/images.ts
+++ b/api/src/controllers/seed/images.ts
@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ export const processImages = record("processImages", async () => {
 
 		let found = true;
 		while (found) {
-			found = await processOne();
+			// run 10 downloads at the same time,
+			// if one of them couldn't find an item the queue is empty.
+			found = !(
+				await Promise.all([new Array(10)].map(() => processOne()))
+			).includes(false);
 		}
 		running = false;
 	}
diff --git a/api/src/index.ts b/api/src/index.ts
index 5e021e65..aaa8ff11 100644
--- a/api/src/index.ts
+++ b/api/src/index.ts
@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@ import { comment } from "./utils";
 
 await migrate();
 
-// run image processor task in background
-for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
-	processImages();
-}
+processImages();
 
 const app = new Elysia()
 	.use(