diff --git a/supabase/migrations/20251105182707_4c1e40b3-b4ef-4bd1-8a9c-2ece1429d4a6.sql b/supabase/migrations/20251105182707_4c1e40b3-b4ef-4bd1-8a9c-2ece1429d4a6.sql
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+++ b/supabase/migrations/20251105182707_4c1e40b3-b4ef-4bd1-8a9c-2ece1429d4a6.sql
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+-- Phase 1: Optimize temp ref lookups with covering index
+-- This enables index-only scans, reducing query time by 2-3x
+
+-- Drop redundant indexes that require table lookups
+DROP INDEX IF EXISTS public.idx_submission_item_temp_refs_type;
+DROP INDEX IF EXISTS public.idx_submission_item_temp_refs_item_type;
+
+-- Create covering index that includes all frequently accessed columns
+-- This allows PostgreSQL to satisfy queries entirely from the index without table access
+CREATE INDEX idx_submission_item_temp_refs_covering 
+  ON public.submission_item_temp_refs(submission_item_id)
+  INCLUDE (ref_type, ref_order_index);
+
+COMMENT ON INDEX public.idx_submission_item_temp_refs_covering IS 
+  'Covering index for temp ref lookups during approval processing. Enables index-only scans by including ref_type and ref_order_index columns.';
+
+-- Verification: This query should now use index-only scan
+-- EXPLAIN (ANALYZE, BUFFERS) SELECT ref_type, ref_order_index 
+-- FROM submission_item_temp_refs WHERE submission_item_id = 'some-uuid';
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