diff --git a/src/index.rs b/src/index.rs
index 758eedee..42926493 100644
--- a/src/index.rs
+++ b/src/index.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use bitcoin::hashes::Hash;
 use bitcoin::{BlockHash, OutPoint, Txid};
 use bitcoin_slices::{bsl, Visit, Visitor};
 use std::ops::ControlFlow;
+use std::thread;
 
 use crate::{
     chain::{Chain, NewHeader},
@@ -188,22 +189,48 @@ impl Index {
                 return Ok(true); // no more blocks to index (done for now)
             }
         }
-        for chunk in new_headers.chunks(self.batch_size) {
-            exit_flag.poll().with_context(|| {
-                format!(
-                    "indexing interrupted at height: {}",
-                    chunk.first().unwrap().height()
-                )
-            })?;
-            self.sync_blocks(daemon, chunk)?;
-        }
+
+        thread::scope(|s| -> Result<()> {
+            let (tx, rx) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(1);
+
+            let chunks = new_headers.chunks(self.batch_size);
+            let index = &self;
+            let reader = s.spawn(move || -> Result<()> {
+                for chunk in chunks {
+                    exit_flag.poll().with_context(|| {
+                        format!(
+                            "indexing interrupted at height: {}",
+                            chunk.first().unwrap().height()
+                        )
+                    })?;
+                    let batch = index.index_blocks(daemon, chunk)?;
+                    tx.send(batch).context("writer disconnected")?;
+                }
+                Ok(())
+            });
+
+            let index = &self;
+            let writer = s.spawn(move || {
+                let stats = &index.stats;
+                for mut batch in rx {
+                    stats.observe_duration("sort", || batch.sort());
+                    stats.observe_batch(&batch);
+                    stats.observe_duration("write", || index.store.write(&batch));
+                    stats.observe_db(&index.store);
+                }
+            });
+
+            reader.join().expect("reader thread panic")?;
+            writer.join().expect("writer thread panic");
+            Ok(())
+        })?;
         self.chain.update(new_headers);
         self.stats.observe_chain(&self.chain);
         self.flush_needed = true;
         Ok(false) // sync is not done
     }
 
-    fn sync_blocks(&mut self, daemon: &Daemon, chunk: &[NewHeader]) -> Result<()> {
+    fn index_blocks(&self, daemon: &Daemon, chunk: &[NewHeader]) -> Result<WriteBatch> {
         let blockhashes: Vec<BlockHash> = chunk.iter().map(|h| h.hash()).collect();
         let mut heights = chunk.iter().map(|h| h.height());
 
@@ -222,12 +249,7 @@ impl Index {
             "some blocks were not indexed: {:?}",
             heights
         );
-        batch.sort();
-        self.stats.observe_batch(&batch);
-        self.stats
-            .observe_duration("write", || self.store.write(&batch));
-        self.stats.observe_db(&self.store);
-        Ok(())
+        Ok(batch)
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn is_ready(&self) -> bool {