diff --git a/app/src/data/connection/Connection.ts b/app/src/data/connection/Connection.ts
index e4ce455..f2ee073 100644
--- a/app/src/data/connection/Connection.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/connection/Connection.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export abstract class Connection<DB = any> {
       return false;
    }
 
+   // @todo: add if only first field is used in index
    supportsIndices(): boolean {
       return false;
    }
diff --git a/app/src/data/entities/EntityManager.ts b/app/src/data/entities/EntityManager.ts
index 6018029..9c08065 100644
--- a/app/src/data/entities/EntityManager.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/entities/EntityManager.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
    UnableToConnectException
 } from "../errors";
 import { MutatorEvents, RepositoryEvents } from "../events";
+import type { Field } from "../fields/Field";
 import type { EntityIndex } from "../fields/indices/EntityIndex";
 import type { EntityRelation } from "../relations";
 import { RelationAccessor } from "../relations/RelationAccessor";
@@ -142,6 +143,16 @@ export class EntityManager<TBD extends object = DefaultDB> {
       return this.indices.some((e) => e.name === name);
    }
 
+   // @todo: add to Connection whether first index is used or not
+   getIndexedFields(_entity: Entity | string): Field[] {
+      const entity = this.entity(_entity);
+      const indices = this.getIndicesOf(entity);
+      const rel_fields = entity.fields.filter((f) => f.type === "relation");
+      // assuming only first
+      const idx_fields = indices.map((index) => index.fields[0]);
+      return [entity.getPrimaryField(), ...rel_fields, ...idx_fields].filter(Boolean) as Field[];
+   }
+
    addRelation(relation: EntityRelation) {
       // check if entities are registered
       if (!this.entity(relation.source.entity.name) || !this.entity(relation.target.entity.name)) {
diff --git a/app/src/data/entities/query/Repository.ts b/app/src/data/entities/query/Repository.ts
index 8ddb10f..fc8f1ba 100644
--- a/app/src/data/entities/query/Repository.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/entities/query/Repository.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@ export class Repository<TBD extends object = DefaultDB, TB extends keyof TBD = a
       return this.em.connection.kysely;
    }
 
+   private checkIndex(entity: string, field: string, clause: string) {
+      const indexed = this.em.getIndexedFields(entity).map((f) => f.name);
+      if (!indexed.includes(field)) {
+         $console.warn(`Field "${entity}.${field}" used in "${clause}" is not indexed`);
+      }
+   }
+
    getValidOptions(options?: Partial<RepoQuery>): RepoQuery {
       const entity = this.entity;
       // @todo: if not cloned deep, it will keep references and error if multiple requests come in
@@ -85,6 +92,7 @@ export class Repository<TBD extends object = DefaultDB, TB extends keyof TBD = a
             throw new InvalidSearchParamsException(`Invalid sort direction "${options.sort.dir}"`);
          }
 
+         this.checkIndex(entity.name, options.sort.by, "sort");
          validated.sort = options.sort;
       }
 
@@ -137,9 +145,11 @@ export class Repository<TBD extends object = DefaultDB, TB extends keyof TBD = a
                   return true;
                }
 
+               this.checkIndex(alias, prop, "where");
                return !this.em.entity(alias).getField(prop);
             }
 
+            this.checkIndex(entity.name, field, "where");
             return typeof entity.getField(field) === "undefined";
          });
 
@@ -255,12 +265,6 @@ export class Repository<TBD extends object = DefaultDB, TB extends keyof TBD = a
          ...config?.defaults
       };
 
-      /*$console.log("build query options", {
-         entity: entity.name,
-         options,
-         config
-      });*/
-
       if (!ignore.includes("select") && options.select) {
          qb = qb.select(entity.getAliasedSelectFrom(options.select, alias));
       }
@@ -299,7 +303,9 @@ export class Repository<TBD extends object = DefaultDB, TB extends keyof TBD = a
       return {
          qb: this.addOptionsToQueryBuilder(undefined, options, {
             ignore,
-            alias: entity.name
+            alias: entity.name,
+            // already done
+            validate: false
          }),
          options
       };
diff --git a/app/src/media/AppMedia.ts b/app/src/media/AppMedia.ts
index f1736d4..1652440 100644
--- a/app/src/media/AppMedia.ts
+++ b/app/src/media/AppMedia.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export class AppMedia extends Module<typeof mediaConfigSchema> {
          const media = this.getMediaEntity(true);
          this.ensureSchema(
             em({ [media.name as "media"]: media }, ({ index }, { media }) => {
-               index(media).on(["path"], true).on(["reference"]);
+               index(media).on(["path"], true).on(["reference"]).on(["entity_id"]);
             })
          );
       } catch (e) {