diff --git a/example-config.yaml b/example-config.yaml
index e32da570..034c3c78 100644
--- a/example-config.yaml
+++ b/example-config.yaml
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ appservice:
     #   SQLite:   sqlite:///filename.db
     #   Postgres: postgres://username:password@hostname/dbname
     database: sqlite:///mautrix-telegram.db
+    # Whether or not to use SQLAlchemy Core for common database actions. Use if the bridge is
+    # being bottlenecked on ORM commits. Only supported with PostgreSQL.
+    sqlalchemy_core_mode: false
 
     # Public part of web server for out-of-Matrix interaction with the bridge.
     # Used for things like login if the user wants to make sure the 2FA password isn't stored in
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py b/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py
index 0e30e182..88363b89 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ Base.metadata.bind = db_engine
 session_container = AlchemySessionContainer(engine=db_engine, session=db_session,
                                             table_base=Base, table_prefix="telethon_",
                                             manage_tables=False)
+if config["appservice.sqlalchemy_core_mode"]:
+    try:
+        session_container.core_mode = True
+    except AttributeError:
+        log.error("Current version of teleton-session-sqlalchemy does not support core mode")
 
 loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()  # type: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop
 
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/config.py b/mautrix_telegram/config.py
index d4d946eb..0e35219a 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/config.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/config.py
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ class Config(DictWithRecursion):
         copy("appservice.max_body_size")
 
         copy("appservice.database")
+        copy("appservice.sqlalchemy_core_mode")
 
         copy("appservice.public.enabled")
         copy("appservice.public.prefix")