diff --git a/src/main/repository/NoteRepository.ts b/src/main/repository/NoteRepository.ts
index 36add73..f980679 100644
--- a/src/main/repository/NoteRepository.ts
+++ b/src/main/repository/NoteRepository.ts
@@ -243,18 +243,13 @@ export class NoteRepository {
   }
 
   emptyTrash(): { noteIds: string[] } {
-    const noteIds: string[] = [];
-    const tx = this.db.transaction(() => {
-      const rows = this.db
-        .prepare('SELECT id FROM notes WHERE deleted_at IS NOT NULL')
-        .all() as Array<{ id: string }>;
-      for (const r of rows) {
-        this.db.prepare('DELETE FROM notes WHERE id=?').run(r.id);
-        noteIds.push(r.id);
-      }
-    });
-    tx();
-    return { noteIds };
+    // Single DELETE ... RETURNING is atomic by itself (no explicit transaction needed)
+    // and avoids per-row prepare overhead. RETURNING is house-style elsewhere
+    // (updateAiResult/updateUserAiFields/getAllPendingJobs).
+    const rows = this.db
+      .prepare('DELETE FROM notes WHERE deleted_at IS NOT NULL RETURNING id')
+      .all() as Array<{ id: string }>;
+    return { noteIds: rows.map((r) => r.id) };
   }
 
   listTrashed(opts: { limit: number }): Note[] {