diff --git a/backend/services/falukantService.js b/backend/services/falukantService.js
index d6e1619..8a2088a 100644
--- a/backend/services/falukantService.js
+++ b/backend/services/falukantService.js
@@ -3588,58 +3588,47 @@ class FalukantService extends BaseService {
             if (!myChar) throw new Error('Character not found');
             timings.step1_user_character = Date.now() - step1Start;
 
-            // 2) Beziehung finden und „anderen" Character bestimmen (optimiert: nur benötigte Felder)
+            // 2) Beziehung finden (zwei separate Queries für bessere Index-Nutzung)
             const step2Start = Date.now();
-            const rel = await Relationship.findOne({
-                where: {
-                    [Op.or]: [
-                        { character1Id: myChar.id },
-                        { character2Id: myChar.id }
-                    ]
-                },
-                include: [
-                    {
-                        model: FalukantCharacter,
-                        as: 'character1',
-                        attributes: ['id', 'moodId'],
-                        include: [{
-                            model: CharacterTrait,
-                            as: 'traits',
-                            attributes: ['id'],
-                            through: { attributes: [] },
-                            required: false
-                        }],
-                        required: false
-                    },
-                    {
-                        model: FalukantCharacter,
-                        as: 'character2',
-                        attributes: ['id', 'moodId'],
-                        include: [{
-                            model: CharacterTrait,
-                            as: 'traits',
-                            attributes: ['id'],
-                            through: { attributes: [] },
-                            required: false
-                        }],
-                        required: false
-                    }
-                ]
-            });
+            const [relAsChar1, relAsChar2] = await Promise.all([
+                Relationship.findOne({
+                    where: { character1Id: myChar.id },
+                    attributes: ['character1Id', 'character2Id']
+                }),
+                Relationship.findOne({
+                    where: { character2Id: myChar.id },
+                    attributes: ['character1Id', 'character2Id']
+                })
+            ]);
+            const rel = relAsChar1 || relAsChar2;
             timings.step2_relationship = Date.now() - step2Start;
 
-            // 3) Wenn keine Beziehung gefunden, alle Gifts ohne Filter zurückgeben
+            // 3) Related Character und Traits laden (nur wenn Relationship existiert)
             const step3Start = Date.now();
             let relatedTraitIds = [];
             let relatedMoodId = null;
 
             if (rel) {
-                const relatedChar = rel.character1.id === myChar.id ? rel.character2 : rel.character1;
-                // Trait-IDs und Mood des relatedChar
-                relatedTraitIds = relatedChar.traits ? relatedChar.traits.map(t => t.id) : [];
-                relatedMoodId = relatedChar.moodId;
+                const relatedCharId = rel.character1Id === myChar.id ? rel.character2Id : rel.character1Id;
+                
+                // Parallel: Character (moodId) und Traits laden
+                const [relatedChar, traitRows] = await Promise.all([
+                    FalukantCharacter.findOne({
+                        where: { id: relatedCharId },
+                        attributes: ['id', 'moodId']
+                    }),
+                    FalukantCharacterTrait.findAll({
+                        where: { characterId: relatedCharId },
+                        attributes: ['traitId']
+                    })
+                ]);
+                
+                if (relatedChar) {
+                    relatedMoodId = relatedChar.moodId;
+                    relatedTraitIds = traitRows.map(t => t.traitId);
+                }
             }
-            timings.step3_process_relationship = Date.now() - step3Start;
+            timings.step3_load_character_and_traits = Date.now() - step3Start;
 
             // 4) Gifts laden – mit Mood/Trait-Filter nur wenn Beziehung existiert
             const step4Start = Date.now();