diff --git a/app/Commands/EpisodesComputeDownloads.php b/app/Commands/EpisodesComputeDownloads.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1bdc7b2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Commands/EpisodesComputeDownloads.php
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace App\Commands;
+
+use App\Models\EpisodeModel;
+use CodeIgniter\CLI\BaseCommand;
+
+class EpisodesComputeDownloads extends BaseCommand
+{
+    /**
+     * The Command's Group
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected $group = 'Episodes';
+
+    /**
+     * The Command's Name
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected $name = 'episodes:compute-downloads';
+
+    /**
+     * The Command's Description
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected $description = "Calculates all episodes downloads and stores results in episodes' downloads_count field.";
+
+    /**
+     * Actually execute a command.
+     */
+    public function run(array $params): void
+    {
+        $episodesModel = new EpisodeModel();
+        $query = $episodesModel->builder()
+            ->select('episodes.id as id, IFNULL(SUM(ape.hits),0) as downloads_count')
+            ->join('analytics_podcasts_by_episode ape', 'episodes.id=ape.episode_id', 'left')
+            ->groupBy('episodes.id');
+
+        $episodeModel2 = new EpisodeModel();
+        $episodeModel2->builder()
+            ->setQueryAsData($query)
+            ->onConstraint('id')
+            ->updateBatch();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Config/Tasks.php b/app/Config/Tasks.php
index 06dd531c..e78ebfc3 100644
--- a/app/Config/Tasks.php
+++ b/app/Config/Tasks.php
@@ -51,5 +51,9 @@ class Tasks extends BaseConfig
         $schedule->command('podcast:import')
             ->everyMinute()
             ->named('podcast-import');
+
+        $schedule->command('episodes:compute-downloads')
+            ->everyHour()
+            ->named('episodes:compute-downloads');
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/2024-05-29-100000_add_episode_download_count.php b/app/Database/Migrations/2024-05-29-100000_add_episode_download_count.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ec6a9023
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/2024-05-29-100000_add_episode_download_count.php
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace App\Database\Migrations;
+
+use CodeIgniter\Database\Migration;
+
+class AddEpisodeDownloadsCount extends Migration
+{
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        $fields = [
+            'downloads_count' => [
+                'type'     => 'INT',
+                'unsigned' => true,
+                'default'  => 0,
+                'after'    => 'is_published_on_hubs',
+            ],
+        ];
+
+        $this->forge->addColumn('episodes', $fields);
+    }
+
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        $this->forge->dropColumn('episodes', 'downloads_count');
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Entities/Episode.php b/app/Entities/Episode.php
index e9e8bcfa..16e41d85 100644
--- a/app/Entities/Episode.php
+++ b/app/Entities/Episode.php
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ use RuntimeException;
  * @property string|null $location_geo
  * @property string|null $location_osm
  * @property bool $is_published_on_hubs
+ * @property int $downloads_count
  * @property int $posts_count
  * @property int $comments_count
- * @property int $downloads
  * @property EpisodeComment[]|null $comments
  * @property bool $is_premium
  * @property int $created_by
@@ -112,8 +112,6 @@ class Episode extends Entity
 
     protected ?Chapters $chapters = null;
 
-    protected int $downloads = 0;
-
     /**
      * @var Person[]|null
      */
@@ -171,6 +169,7 @@ class Episode extends Entity
         'location_geo'          => '?string',
         'location_osm'          => '?string',
         'is_published_on_hubs'  => 'boolean',
+        'downloads_count'       => 'integer',
         'posts_count'           => 'integer',
         'comments_count'        => 'integer',
         'is_premium'            => 'boolean',
diff --git a/app/Models/EpisodeModel.php b/app/Models/EpisodeModel.php
index 69e3bf07..9ec14a54 100644
--- a/app/Models/EpisodeModel.php
+++ b/app/Models/EpisodeModel.php
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ class EpisodeModel extends UuidModel
         'location_geo',
         'location_osm',
         'is_published_on_hubs',
+        'downloads_count',
         'posts_count',
         'comments_count',
         'is_premium',
diff --git a/modules/Admin/Controllers/EpisodeController.php b/modules/Admin/Controllers/EpisodeController.php
index f6f23088..c684754a 100644
--- a/modules/Admin/Controllers/EpisodeController.php
+++ b/modules/Admin/Controllers/EpisodeController.php
@@ -70,34 +70,25 @@ class EpisodeController extends BaseController
             // Use LIKE operator as a fallback.
             if (strlen($query) < 4) {
                 $episodes = $episodeModel
-                    ->select('episodes.*, IFNULL(SUM(ape.hits),0) as downloads')
-                    ->join('analytics_podcasts_by_episode ape', 'episodes.id=ape.episode_id', 'left')
-                    ->where('episodes.podcast_id', $podcast->id)
+                    ->where('podcast_id', $podcast->id)
                     ->like('title', $episodeModel->db->escapeLikeString($query))
                     ->orLike('description_markdown', $episodeModel->db->escapeLikeString($query))
                     ->orLike('slug', $episodeModel->db->escapeLikeString($query))
                     ->orLike('location_name', $episodeModel->db->escapeLikeString($query))
-                    ->groupBy('episodes.id')
                     ->orderBy('-`published_at`', '', false)
                     ->orderBy('created_at', 'desc');
             } else {
                 $episodes = $episodeModel
-                    ->select('episodes.*, IFNULL(SUM(ape.hits),0) as downloads')
-                    ->join('analytics_podcasts_by_episode ape', 'episodes.id=ape.episode_id', 'left')
-                    ->where('episodes.podcast_id', $podcast->id)
+                    ->where('podcast_id', $podcast->id)
                     ->where(
                         "MATCH (title, description_markdown, slug, location_name) AGAINST ('{$episodeModel->db->escapeString(
                             $query
                         )}')"
-                    )
-                    ->groupBy('episodes.id');
+                    );
             }
         } else {
             $episodes = $episodeModel
-                ->select('episodes.*, IFNULL(SUM(ape.hits),0) as downloads')
-                ->join('analytics_podcasts_by_episode ape', 'episodes.id=ape.episode_id', 'left')
-                ->where('episodes.podcast_id', $podcast->id)
-                ->groupBy('episodes.id')
+                ->where('podcast_id', $podcast->id)
                 ->orderBy('-`published_at`', '', false)
                 ->orderBy('created_at', 'desc');
         }
diff --git a/themes/cp_admin/episode/list.php b/themes/cp_admin/episode/list.php
index 5ede63da..0662e8e7 100644
--- a/themes/cp_admin/episode/list.php
+++ b/themes/cp_admin/episode/list.php
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ data_table(
         [
             'header' => lang('Episode.list.downloads'),
             'cell'   => function ($episode): string {
-                return downloads_abbr($episode->downloads);
+                return downloads_abbr($episode->downloads_count);
             },
         ],
         [