diff --git a/blade/db/postgres/mod.rs b/blade/db/postgres/mod.rs
index e33d8bc..c1b4a29 100644
--- a/blade/db/postgres/mod.rs
+++ b/blade/db/postgres/mod.rs
@@ -344,6 +344,30 @@ impl state::DB for Postgres {
             .context(format!("failed to delete invocation since {ot:#?}"))
     }
 
+    fn delete_invocations_batch(
+        &mut self,
+        ts: &std::time::SystemTime,
+        limit: i64,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<usize> {
+        let ot: time::OffsetDateTime = (*ts).into();
+        let ids_to_delete: Vec<String> = schema::invocations::table
+            .select(schema::invocations::id)
+            .filter(schema::invocations::start.le(ot))
+            .limit(limit)
+            .load(&mut self.conn)
+            .context("failed to query invocations for batch deletion")?;
+
+        if ids_to_delete.is_empty() {
+            return Ok(0);
+        }
+
+        diesel::delete(
+            schema::invocations::table.filter(schema::invocations::id.eq_any(&ids_to_delete)),
+        )
+        .execute(&mut self.conn)
+        .context("failed to delete invocation batch")
+    }
+
     fn update_invocation_heartbeat(&mut self, invocation_id: &str) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         use schema::invocations::dsl::*;
         let now: time::OffsetDateTime = std::time::SystemTime::now().into();
@@ -1048,6 +1072,99 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_delete_batch() {
+        let tmp = tempdir::TempDir::new("test_delete_batch").unwrap();
+        let harness = harness::new(tmp.path().to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+        let uri = harness.uri();
+        super::init_db(&uri).unwrap();
+        let mgr = crate::manager::PostgresManager::new(&uri).unwrap();
+        let mut conn = PgConnection::establish(&uri).unwrap();
+        let mut db = mgr.get().unwrap();
+
+        let start = UNIX_EPOCH;
+        let mut curr = start;
+        let day = Duration::from_secs(60 * 60 * 24);
+
+        // Create 15 invocations
+        for i in 0..15 {
+            db.upsert_shallow_invocation(&state::InvocationResults {
+                id: format!("id{i}"),
+                start: curr.checked_add(day).unwrap(),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+            curr += day;
+        }
+
+        // Verify all 15 exist
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 15);
+        }
+
+        // Delete in batches of 3, targeting first 10 invocations
+        let cutoff = start.checked_add(day * 10).unwrap();
+
+        // First batch: should delete 3
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 3);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 12);
+        }
+
+        // Second batch: should delete 3 more
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 3);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 9);
+        }
+
+        // Third batch: should delete 3 more
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 3);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 6);
+        }
+
+        // Fourth batch: should delete 1 more (only 1 left before cutoff)
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 1);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 5);
+        }
+
+        // Fifth batch: should delete 0 (none left before cutoff)
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 0);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 5);
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_options() {
         let tmp = tempdir::TempDir::new("test_test").unwrap();
diff --git a/blade/db/sqlite/mod.rs b/blade/db/sqlite/mod.rs
index 2e1b674..e36ff04 100644
--- a/blade/db/sqlite/mod.rs
+++ b/blade/db/sqlite/mod.rs
@@ -362,6 +362,30 @@ impl state::DB for Sqlite {
         .context(format!("failed to delete invocation since {ot:#?}"))
     }
 
+    fn delete_invocations_batch(
+        &mut self,
+        ts: &std::time::SystemTime,
+        limit: i64,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<usize> {
+        let ot: time::OffsetDateTime = (*ts).into();
+        let ids_to_delete: Vec<String> = schema::Invocations::table
+            .select(schema::Invocations::id)
+            .filter(unixepoch(schema::Invocations::start).le(unixepoch(ot)))
+            .limit(limit)
+            .load(&mut self.conn)
+            .context("failed to query invocations for batch deletion")?;
+
+        if ids_to_delete.is_empty() {
+            return Ok(0);
+        }
+
+        diesel::delete(
+            schema::Invocations::table.filter(schema::Invocations::id.eq_any(&ids_to_delete)),
+        )
+        .execute(&mut self.conn)
+        .context("failed to delete invocation batch")
+    }
+
     fn update_invocation_heartbeat(&mut self, invocation_id: &str) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         use schema::Invocations::dsl::*;
         let now: time::OffsetDateTime = std::time::SystemTime::now().into();
@@ -1069,6 +1093,98 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_delete_batch() {
+        let tmp = tempdir::TempDir::new("test_delete_batch").unwrap();
+        let db_path = tmp.path().join("test.db");
+        super::init_db(db_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+        let mut conn = SqliteConnection::establish(db_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+        let mgr = crate::manager::SqliteManager::new(db_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+        let mut db = mgr.get().unwrap();
+
+        let start = UNIX_EPOCH;
+        let mut curr = start;
+        let day = Duration::from_secs(60 * 60 * 24);
+
+        // Create 15 invocations
+        for i in 0..15 {
+            db.upsert_shallow_invocation(&state::InvocationResults {
+                id: format!("id{i}"),
+                start: curr.checked_add(day).unwrap(),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+            curr += day;
+        }
+
+        // Verify all 15 exist
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::Invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 15);
+        }
+
+        // Delete in batches of 3, targeting first 10 invocations
+        let cutoff = start.checked_add(day * 10).unwrap();
+
+        // First batch: should delete 3
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 3);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::Invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 12);
+        }
+
+        // Second batch: should delete 3 more
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 3);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::Invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 9);
+        }
+
+        // Third batch: should delete 3 more
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 3);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::Invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 6);
+        }
+
+        // Fourth batch: should delete 1 more (only 1 left before cutoff)
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 1);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::Invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 5);
+        }
+
+        // Fifth batch: should delete 0 (none left before cutoff)
+        let deleted = db.delete_invocations_batch(&cutoff, 3).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deleted, 0);
+        {
+            let res = super::schema::Invocations::table
+                .select(super::models::Invocation::as_select())
+                .get_results(&mut conn)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(res.len(), 5);
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_options() {
         let tmp = tempdir::TempDir::new("test_target").unwrap();
diff --git a/blade/main.rs b/blade/main.rs
index b5e2426..770be23 100644
--- a/blade/main.rs
+++ b/blade/main.rs
@@ -340,6 +340,9 @@ cfg_if! {
             let day = std::time::Duration::from_secs(60 * 60 * 24);
             let interval = global.retention.unwrap_or(day);
             let check_interval = std::cmp::min(day, interval/7);
+            const BATCH_SIZE: i64 = 10;
+            const BATCH_DELAY: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_millis(100);
+
             loop {
                 tokio::time::sleep(check_interval).await;
                 if global.retention.is_none() {
@@ -349,11 +352,32 @@ cfg_if! {
                     tracing::warn!("Overflow when clean up time");
                     continue;
                 };
-                db::run(global.db_manager.clone(), move |db_mgr| db_mgr.delete_invocations_since(&since)).await.inspect_err(|e| {
-                    tracing::warn!("Failed to mark old invocations for deletion: {e:#?}");
-                }).ok().inspect(|count| {
-                    tracing::info!("Marked {} invocations for deletion", count);
-                });
+
+                let mut total_deleted = 0;
+                loop {
+                    let deleted = db::run(global.db_manager.clone(), move |db_mgr| {
+                        db_mgr.delete_invocations_batch(&since, BATCH_SIZE)
+                    }).await;
+
+                    match deleted {
+                        Ok(count) => {
+                            if count == 0 {
+                                break;
+                            }
+                            total_deleted += count;
+                            tracing::debug!("Deleted batch of {} invocations", count);
+                            tokio::time::sleep(BATCH_DELAY).await;
+                        },
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            tracing::warn!("Failed to delete invocation batch: {e:#?}");
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if total_deleted > 0 {
+                    tracing::info!("Deleted {} total invocations during cleanup", total_deleted);
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/blade/state/lib.rs b/blade/state/lib.rs
index e82fec2..9e68f38 100644
--- a/blade/state/lib.rs
+++ b/blade/state/lib.rs
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ pub trait DB {
     fn get_shallow_invocation(&mut self, id: &str) -> anyhow::Result<InvocationResults>;
     fn delete_invocation(&mut self, id: &str) -> anyhow::Result<()>;
     fn delete_invocations_since(&mut self, ts: &std::time::SystemTime) -> anyhow::Result<usize>;
+    fn delete_invocations_batch(&mut self, ts: &std::time::SystemTime, limit: i64) -> anyhow::Result<usize>;
     fn update_invocation_heartbeat(&mut self, invocation_id: &str) -> anyhow::Result<()>;
     fn insert_options(&mut self, id: &str, options: &BuildOptions) -> anyhow::Result<()>;
     fn get_options(&mut self, id: &str) -> anyhow::Result<BuildOptions>;