diff --git a/core/app.js b/core/app.js
index 76ddc8e02..20f76d003 100644
--- a/core/app.js
+++ b/core/app.js
@@ -416,6 +416,7 @@ class App {
 
     await this.pouch.addAllViews()
     await runMigrations(migrations, this)
+    await this.pouch.compact()
 
     if (wasUpdated && this.remote) {
       try {
diff --git a/core/pouch/index.js b/core/pouch/index.js
index a695b4678..6a0dc52c2 100644
--- a/core/pouch/index.js
+++ b/core/pouch/index.js
@@ -98,6 +98,16 @@ class Pouch {
     })
   }
 
+  async compact() {
+    log.info('compacting db...')
+
+    try {
+      await this.db.compact()
+    } catch (err) {
+      log.error('failed to compact db', { err, sentry: true })
+    }
+  }
+
   /* Mini ODM */
 
   /* Catch uncaught exceptions raised by PouchDB when calling `allDocs`.