diff --git a/lua/papis/search/data.lua b/lua/papis/search/data.lua
index 78147db..1a40974 100644
--- a/lua/papis/search/data.lua
+++ b/lua/papis/search/data.lua
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ local function init_tbl()
 
     local timestamp = make_timestamp(entry)
 
+    require("papis.search").update_precalc(entry)
+
     self:__update({
       where = { id = id },
       set = {
diff --git a/lua/papis/search/init.lua b/lua/papis/search/init.lua
index d015232..48cb345 100644
--- a/lua/papis/search/init.lua
+++ b/lua/papis/search/init.lua
@@ -10,10 +10,59 @@ if not has_telescope then
   log.error("The plugin telescope.nvim wasn't found but the search module is enabled and requires it.")
   return nil
 end
+local entry_display = require("telescope.pickers.entry_display")
+entry_display.truncate = function(a) return a end -- HACK: there must better way to turn this off
 local config = require("papis.config")
+local db = require("papis.sqlite-wrapper")
+if not db then
+  return nil
+end
+
+local telescope_precalc = {}
+
+local entry_maker = function(entry)
+  local entry_pre_calc = db["search"]:get(entry["id"])[1]
+  local timestamp = entry_pre_calc["timestamp"]
+  local items = entry_pre_calc["items"]
+
+  local displayer_tbl = entry_pre_calc["displayer_tbl"]
+  local displayer = entry_display.create({
+    separator = "",
+    items = items,
+  })
+
+  local make_display = function()
+    return displayer(displayer_tbl)
+  end
+
+  local search_string = entry_pre_calc["search_string"]
+  return {
+    value = search_string,
+    ordinal = search_string,
+    display = make_display,
+    timestamp = timestamp,
+    id = entry,
+  }
+end
 
 local M = {}
 
+function M.update_precalc(entry)
+  local id = entry["id"]
+  telescope_precalc[id] = entry_maker(entry)
+end
+
+function M.get_precalc()
+  if vim.tbl_isempty(telescope_precalc) then
+    local entries = db.data:get()
+    for _, entry in ipairs(entries) do
+      local id = entry["id"]
+      telescope_precalc[id] = entry_maker(entry)
+    end
+  end
+  return telescope_precalc
+end
+
 ---Sets up the papis.nvim telescope extension
 function M.setup()
   log.debug("Search: setting up module")
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/papis.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/papis.lua
index c057e23..c6f65ff 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/papis.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/papis.lua
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ local pickers = require("telescope.pickers")
 local actions = require("telescope.actions")
 local previewers = require("telescope.previewers")
 local telescope_config = require("telescope.config").values
-local entry_display = require("telescope.pickers.entry_display")
 local papis_actions = require("telescope._extensions.papis.actions")
 
 local utils = require("papis.utils")
@@ -31,14 +30,17 @@ local function parse_format_string()
   return cite_format
 end
 
-local wrap, preview_format, required_db_keys, initial_sort_by_time_added
+local wrap, preview_format, initial_sort_by_time_added
 
 ---Defines the papis.nvim telescope picker
 ---@param opts table #Options for the papis picker
 local function papis_picker(opts)
   opts = opts or {}
 
-  local results = db.data:get(nil, required_db_keys)
+  -- get precalculated entries for the telescope picker
+  local telescope_precalc = require("papis.search").get_precalc()
+
+  -- local results = db.data:get(nil, required_db_keys)
   local format_string = parse_format_string()
 
   -- amend the generic_sorter so that we can change initial sorting
@@ -67,30 +69,9 @@ local function papis_picker(opts)
       .new(opts, {
         prompt_title = "Papis References",
         finder = finders.new_table({
-          results = results,
+          results = telescope_precalc,
           entry_maker = function(entry)
-            local entry_pre_calc = db["search"]:get(entry["id"])[1]
-            local timestamp = entry_pre_calc["timestamp"]
-            local items = entry_pre_calc["items"]
-
-            local displayer_tbl = entry_pre_calc["displayer_tbl"]
-            local displayer = entry_display.create({
-              separator = "",
-              items = items,
-            })
-
-            local make_display = function()
-              return displayer(displayer_tbl)
-            end
-
-            local search_string = entry_pre_calc["search_string"]
-            return {
-              value = search_string,
-              ordinal = search_string,
-              display = make_display,
-              timestamp = timestamp,
-              id = entry,
-            }
+            return entry
           end,
         }),
         previewer = previewers.new_buffer_previewer({
@@ -138,9 +119,6 @@ return telescope.register_extension({
     wrap = opts["wrap"]
     initial_sort_by_time_added = opts["initial_sort_by_time_added"]
     preview_format = opts["preview_format"]
-    local search_keys = opts["search_keys"]
-    local results_format = opts["results_format"]
-    required_db_keys = utils:get_required_db_keys({ { "papis_id" }, search_keys, preview_format, results_format })
   end,
   exports = {
     papis = papis_picker,