diff --git a/inbox/mailsync/backends/gmail.py b/inbox/mailsync/backends/gmail.py
index 0ee3bbf42..8fbf3a10b 100644
--- a/inbox/mailsync/backends/gmail.py
+++ b/inbox/mailsync/backends/gmail.py
@@ -325,7 +325,14 @@ def resync_uids_impl(self):
                 .options(
                     load_only("msg_uid"), joinedload("message").load_only("g_msgid")
                 )
-                .filter_by(account_id=self.account_id, folder_id=self.folder_id)
+                .filter(
+                    ImapUid.account_id == self.account_id,
+                    ImapUid.folder_id == self.folder_id,
+                )
+                .with_hint(
+                    ImapUid,
+                    "FORCE INDEX (ix_imapuid_account_id_folder_id_msg_uid_desc)",
+                )
             )
 
             chunk_size = 1000
diff --git a/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/common.py b/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/common.py
index b4de8b569..0966613f6 100644
--- a/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/common.py
+++ b/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/common.py
@@ -156,10 +156,16 @@ def update_metadata(account_id, folder_id, folder_role, new_flags, session):
 
     account = Account.get(account_id, session)
     change_count = 0
-    for item in session.query(ImapUid).filter(
-        ImapUid.account_id == account_id,
-        ImapUid.msg_uid.in_(new_flags),
-        ImapUid.folder_id == folder_id,
+    for item in (
+        session.query(ImapUid)
+        .filter(
+            ImapUid.account_id == account_id,
+            ImapUid.folder_id == folder_id,
+            ImapUid.msg_uid.in_(new_flags),
+        )
+        .with_hint(
+            ImapUid, "FORCE INDEX (ix_imapuid_account_id_folder_id_msg_uid_desc)"
+        )
     ):
         flags = new_flags[item.msg_uid].flags
         labels = getattr(new_flags[item.msg_uid], "labels", None)
@@ -204,6 +210,10 @@ def remove_deleted_uids(account_id, folder_id, uids):
                     ImapUid.folder_id == folder_id,
                     ImapUid.msg_uid == uid,
                 )
+                .with_hint(
+                    ImapUid,
+                    "FORCE INDEX (ix_imapuid_account_id_folder_id_msg_uid_desc)",
+                )
                 .first()
             )
             if imapuid is None:
diff --git a/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/generic.py b/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/generic.py
index 7dd2c22fa..604da4992 100644
--- a/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/generic.py
+++ b/inbox/mailsync/backends/imap/generic.py
@@ -517,8 +517,13 @@ def resync_uids_impl(self):
         with session_scope(self.namespace_id) as db_session:
             invalid_uids = {
                 uid
-                for uid, in db_session.query(ImapUid.msg_uid).filter_by(
-                    account_id=self.account_id, folder_id=self.folder_id
+                for uid, in db_session.query(ImapUid.msg_uid)
+                .filter(
+                    ImapUid.account_id == self.account_id,
+                    ImapUid.folder_id == self.folder_id,
+                )
+                .with_hint(
+                    ImapUid, "FORCE INDEX(ix_imapuid_account_id_folder_id_msg_uid_desc)"
                 )
             }
         with self.syncmanager_lock:
@@ -545,20 +550,24 @@ def create_message(
 
         # Check if we somehow already saved the imapuid (shouldn't happen, but
         # possible due to race condition). If so, don't commit changes.
-        existing_imapuid = (
+        imapuid_exists = db_session.query(
             db_session.query(ImapUid)
             .filter(
                 ImapUid.account_id == account.id,
                 ImapUid.folder_id == folder.id,
                 ImapUid.msg_uid == raw_message.uid,
             )
-            .first()
-        )
-        if existing_imapuid is not None:
+            .with_hint(
+                ImapUid, "FORCE INDEX(ix_imapuid_account_id_folder_id_msg_uid_desc)"
+            )
+            .exists()
+        ).scalar()
+        if imapuid_exists:
             log.warning(
                 "Expected to create imapuid, but existing row found",
-                remote_msg_uid=raw_message.uid,
-                existing_imapuid=existing_imapuid.id,
+                account_id=account.id,
+                folder_id=folder.id,
+                msg_uid=raw_message.uid,
             )
             return None