diff --git a/electrum/lnworker.py b/electrum/lnworker.py
index 888a3a361..51a04a4ca 100644
--- a/electrum/lnworker.py
+++ b/electrum/lnworker.py
@@ -556,28 +556,30 @@ class LNGossip(LNWorker):
         #       and disconnect only from that peer
         await self.channel_db.data_loaded.wait()
         self.logger.debug(f'process_gossip {len(chan_anns)} {len(node_anns)} {len(chan_upds)}')
-        # note: data processed in chunks to avoid taking sql lock for too long
         # channel announcements
-        for payload in chan_anns:
-            self.channel_db.verify_channel_announcement(payload)
-        for chan_anns_chunk in chunks(chan_anns, 300):
-            self.channel_db.add_channel_announcements(chan_anns_chunk)
+        def process_chan_anns():
+            for payload in chan_anns:
+                self.channel_db.verify_channel_announcement(payload)
+            self.channel_db.add_channel_announcements(chan_anns)
+        await run_in_thread(process_chan_anns)
         # node announcements
-        for payload in node_anns:
-            self.channel_db.verify_node_announcement(payload)
-        for node_anns_chunk in chunks(node_anns, 100):
-            self.channel_db.add_node_announcements(node_anns_chunk)
+        def process_node_anns():
+            for payload in node_anns:
+                self.channel_db.verify_node_announcement(payload)
+            self.channel_db.add_node_announcements(node_anns)
+        await run_in_thread(process_node_anns)
         # channel updates
-        for chan_upds_chunk in chunks(chan_upds, 1000):
-            categorized_chan_upds = self.channel_db.add_channel_updates(
-                chan_upds_chunk, max_age=self.max_age)
-            orphaned = categorized_chan_upds.orphaned
-            if orphaned:
-                self.logger.info(f'adding {len(orphaned)} unknown channel ids')
-                orphaned_ids = [c['short_channel_id'] for c in orphaned]
-                await self.add_new_ids(orphaned_ids)
-            if categorized_chan_upds.good:
-                self.logger.debug(f'on_channel_update: {len(categorized_chan_upds.good)}/{len(chan_upds_chunk)}')
+        categorized_chan_upds = await run_in_thread(partial(
+            self.channel_db.add_channel_updates,
+            chan_upds,
+            max_age=self.max_age))
+        orphaned = categorized_chan_upds.orphaned
+        if orphaned:
+            self.logger.info(f'adding {len(orphaned)} unknown channel ids')
+            orphaned_ids = [c['short_channel_id'] for c in orphaned]
+            await self.add_new_ids(orphaned_ids)
+        if categorized_chan_upds.good:
+            self.logger.debug(f'on_channel_update: {len(categorized_chan_upds.good)}/{len(chan_upds)}')
 
 
 class LNWallet(LNWorker):
diff --git a/electrum/sql_db.py b/electrum/sql_db.py
index c6928a87f..dbfc4cb3c 100644
--- a/electrum/sql_db.py
+++ b/electrum/sql_db.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def sql(func):
     """wrapper for sql methods"""
     def wrapper(self: 'SqlDB', *args, **kwargs):
         assert threading.currentThread() != self.sql_thread
-        f = asyncio.Future()
+        f = self.asyncio_loop.create_future()
         self.db_requests.put((f, func, args, kwargs))
         return f
     return wrapper