diff --git a/app/handle-req.go b/app/handle-req.go
index db5fc13..22e1662 100644
--- a/app/handle-req.go
+++ b/app/handle-req.go
@@ -734,6 +734,10 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleReq(msg []byte) (err error) {
 	if l.accessTracker != nil && len(events) > 0 {
 		go func(evts event.S, connID string) {
 			for _, ev := range evts {
+				// Validate event ID before calling GetSerialById
+				if len(ev.ID) != 32 {
+					continue
+				}
 				if ser, err := l.DB.GetSerialById(ev.ID); err == nil && ser != nil {
 					l.accessTracker.RecordAccess(ser.Get(), connID)
 				}
diff --git a/pkg/database/database.go b/pkg/database/database.go
index 7191208..2b9dd44 100644
--- a/pkg/database/database.go
+++ b/pkg/database/database.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/badger/v4/options"
 	"lol.mleku.dev"
 	"lol.mleku.dev/chk"
+	"lol.mleku.dev/log"
 	"next.orly.dev/pkg/database/querycache"
 	"git.mleku.dev/mleku/nostr/encoders/event"
 	"git.mleku.dev/mleku/nostr/encoders/filter"
@@ -20,6 +21,12 @@ import (
 	"git.mleku.dev/mleku/nostr/utils/units"
 )
 
+// DefaultMaxConcurrentQueries limits concurrent database queries to prevent memory exhaustion.
+// Each query creates Badger iterators that consume significant memory. With many concurrent
+// connections, unlimited queries can exhaust available memory in seconds.
+// Set very low (3) because each query can internally create many iterators.
+const DefaultMaxConcurrentQueries = 3
+
 // RateLimiterInterface defines the minimal interface for rate limiting during import
 type RateLimiterInterface interface {
 	IsEnabled() bool
@@ -47,6 +54,10 @@ type D struct {
 
 	// Rate limiter for controlling memory pressure during bulk operations
 	rateLimiter RateLimiterInterface
+
+	// Query semaphore limits concurrent database queries to prevent memory exhaustion.
+	// Each query with iterators consumes significant memory; this prevents OOM under load.
+	querySem chan struct{}
 }
 
 // SetRateLimiter sets the rate limiter for controlling memory during import/export
@@ -139,6 +150,7 @@ func NewWithConfig(
 		ready:       make(chan struct{}),
 		queryCache:  qc,
 		serialCache: NewSerialCache(serialCachePubkeys, serialCacheEventIds),
+		querySem:    make(chan struct{}, DefaultMaxConcurrentQueries),
 	}
 
 	// Ensure the data directory exists
@@ -353,3 +365,24 @@ func (d *D) Close() (err error) {
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+// AcquireQuerySlot acquires a slot from the query semaphore to limit concurrent queries.
+// This blocks until a slot is available or the context is cancelled.
+// Returns true if slot was acquired, false if context cancelled.
+func (d *D) AcquireQuerySlot(ctx context.Context) bool {
+	select {
+	case d.querySem <- struct{}{}:
+		return true
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
+// ReleaseQuerySlot releases a previously acquired query slot.
+func (d *D) ReleaseQuerySlot() {
+	select {
+	case <-d.querySem:
+	default:
+		log.W.F("ReleaseQuerySlot called without matching AcquireQuerySlot")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/database/fetch-events-by-serials.go b/pkg/database/fetch-events-by-serials.go
index 963f6df..8c11575 100644
--- a/pkg/database/fetch-events-by-serials.go
+++ b/pkg/database/fetch-events-by-serials.go
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ func (d *D) FetchEventsBySerials(serials []*types.Uint40) (events map[uint64]*ev
 
 	if err = d.View(
 		func(txn *badger.Txn) (err error) {
+			// Create ONE iterator for sev prefix lookups - reused for all serials
+			// This dramatically reduces memory usage vs creating one per serial
+			sevOpts := badger.DefaultIteratorOptions
+			sevOpts.PrefetchValues = false // We read from key, not value
+			sevOpts.PrefetchSize = 1
+			sevIt := txn.NewIterator(sevOpts)
+			defer sevIt.Close()
+
 			for _, ser := range serials {
 				var ev *event.E
 				serialVal := ser.Get()
@@ -45,8 +53,8 @@ func (d *D) FetchEventsBySerials(serials []*types.Uint40) (events map[uint64]*ev
 				}
 				err = nil // Reset error, try legacy formats
 
-				// Try sev (small event inline) prefix - legacy Reiser4 optimization
-				ev, err = d.fetchSmallEvent(txn, ser)
+				// Try sev (small event inline) using shared iterator
+				ev, err = d.fetchSmallEventWithIterator(txn, ser, sevIt)
 				if err == nil && ev != nil {
 					events[serialVal] = ev
 					continue
@@ -70,6 +78,61 @@ func (d *D) FetchEventsBySerials(serials []*types.Uint40) (events map[uint64]*ev
 	return events, nil
 }
 
+// fetchSmallEventWithIterator uses a provided iterator for sev lookups (memory efficient)
+func (d *D) fetchSmallEventWithIterator(txn *badger.Txn, ser *types.Uint40, it *badger.Iterator) (ev *event.E, err error) {
+	smallBuf := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	if err = indexes.SmallEventEnc(ser).MarshalWrite(smallBuf); chk.E(err) {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	prefix := smallBuf.Bytes()
+
+	// Seek to the prefix for this serial
+	it.Seek(prefix)
+	if !it.ValidForPrefix(prefix) {
+		return nil, nil // Not found
+	}
+
+	// Found in sev table - extract inline data
+	key := it.Item().KeyCopy(nil) // Copy key as iterator may be reused
+	// Key format: sev|serial|size_uint16|event_data
+	if len(key) <= 8+2 { // prefix(3) + serial(5) + size(2) = 10 bytes minimum
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	sizeIdx := 8 // After sev(3) + serial(5)
+	// Read uint16 big-endian size
+	size := int(key[sizeIdx])<<8 | int(key[sizeIdx+1])
+	dataStart := sizeIdx + 2
+
+	if len(key) < dataStart+size {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	eventData := key[dataStart : dataStart+size]
+
+	// Check if this is compact format (starts with version byte 1)
+	if len(eventData) > 0 && eventData[0] == CompactFormatVersion {
+		// This is compact format stored in sev - need to decode with resolver
+		resolver := NewDatabaseSerialResolver(d, d.serialCache)
+		eventId, idErr := d.GetEventIdBySerial(ser)
+		if idErr != nil {
+			// Cannot decode compact format without event ID - return error
+			// DO NOT fall back to legacy unmarshal as compact format is not valid legacy format
+			log.W.F("fetchSmallEventWithIterator: compact format but no event ID mapping for serial %d: %v", ser.Get(), idErr)
+			return nil, idErr
+		}
+		return UnmarshalCompactEvent(eventData, eventId, resolver)
+	}
+
+	// Legacy binary format
+	ev = new(event.E)
+	if err = ev.UnmarshalBinary(bytes.NewBuffer(eventData)); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return ev, nil
+}
+
 // fetchCompactEvent tries to fetch an event from the compact format (cmp prefix).
 func (d *D) fetchCompactEvent(txn *badger.Txn, ser *types.Uint40, resolver SerialResolver) (ev *event.E, err error) {
 	// Build cmp key
diff --git a/pkg/database/get-serial-by-id.go b/pkg/database/get-serial-by-id.go
index cc69079..a120bd7 100644
--- a/pkg/database/get-serial-by-id.go
+++ b/pkg/database/get-serial-by-id.go
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ import (
 func (d *D) GetSerialById(id []byte) (ser *types.Uint40, err error) {
 	// log.T.F("GetSerialById: input id=%s", hex.Enc(id))
 	if len(id) == 0 {
-		err = errorf.E("GetSerialById: called with empty ID")
+		// Return error without logging - caller should validate ID before calling
+		err = errorf.E("empty event ID")
 		return
 	}
 	var idxs []Range
diff --git a/pkg/database/query-events.go b/pkg/database/query-events.go
index fa44bcd..3a4179e 100644
--- a/pkg/database/query-events.go
+++ b/pkg/database/query-events.go
@@ -54,6 +54,13 @@ func (d *D) QueryAllVersions(c context.Context, f *filter.F) (
 func (d *D) QueryEventsWithOptions(c context.Context, f *filter.F, includeDeleteEvents bool, showAllVersions bool) (
 	evs event.S, err error,
 ) {
+	// Acquire query slot to limit concurrent queries and prevent memory exhaustion
+	if !d.AcquireQuerySlot(c) {
+		err = c.Err()
+		return
+	}
+	defer d.ReleaseQuerySlot()
+
 	// Determine if we should return multiple versions of replaceable events
 	// based on the limit parameter
 	wantMultipleVersions := showAllVersions || (f.Limit != nil && *f.Limit > 1)
@@ -310,18 +317,13 @@ func (d *D) QueryEventsWithOptions(c context.Context, f *filter.F, includeDelete
 						}
 					}
 
-					// If not found in current batch, try to fetch it directly
+					// DISABLED: Fetching target events not in current batch causes memory
+					// exhaustion under high concurrent load. Each GetSerialById call creates
+					// a Badger iterator that consumes significant memory. With many connections
+					// processing deletion events, this explodes memory usage (~300MB/connection).
+					// The deletion will still work when the target event is directly queried.
 					if targetEv == nil {
-						// Get serial for the event ID
-						ser, serErr := d.GetSerialById(evId)
-						if serErr != nil || ser == nil {
-							continue
-						}
-						// Fetch the event by serial
-						targetEv, serErr = d.FetchEventBySerial(ser)
-						if serErr != nil || targetEv == nil {
-							continue
-						}
+						continue
 					}
 
 					// Only allow users to delete their own events
diff --git a/pkg/version/version b/pkg/version/version
index 5714657..361fdaa 100644
--- a/pkg/version/version
+++ b/pkg/version/version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v0.52.12
+v0.52.17