diff --git a/persistence/plugin_repository.go b/persistence/plugin_repository.go
index c1e36f0b1..7d5781f49 100644
--- a/persistence/plugin_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/plugin_repository.go
@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@ func (r *pluginRepository) ClearErrors() error {
 	if !r.isPermitted() {
 		return rest.ErrPermissionDenied
 	}
+	// An UPDATE takes the write lock even when nothing matches, so only run it when there is an error to clear
+	var hasErrors bool
+	if err := r.db.NewQuery("SELECT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM plugin WHERE last_error != '')").Row(&hasErrors); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !hasErrors {
+		return nil
+	}
 	_, err := r.db.NewQuery("UPDATE plugin SET last_error = '' WHERE last_error != ''").Execute()
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/persistence/plugin_repository_test.go b/persistence/plugin_repository_test.go
index dc68b0892..9b135057e 100644
--- a/persistence/plugin_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/plugin_repository_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package persistence
 
 import (
+	"context"
+
 	"github.com/deluan/rest"
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/db"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model/request"
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
@@ -198,6 +201,18 @@ var _ = Describe("PluginRepository", func() {
 				err := repo.ClearErrors()
 				Expect(err).To(BeNil())
 			})
+
+			It("does not need the write lock when no plugins have errors", func() {
+				_ = repo.Put(&model.Plugin{ID: "clean-plugin", Path: "/plugins/c.wasm", Manifest: "{}", SHA256: "h1"})
+				conn, err := db.Db().Conn(GinkgoT().Context())
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				DeferCleanup(conn.Close)
+				_, err = conn.ExecContext(GinkgoT().Context(), "BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				DeferCleanup(func() { _, _ = conn.ExecContext(context.Background(), "ROLLBACK") })
+
+				Expect(repo.ClearErrors()).To(Succeed())
+			})
 		})
 	})