diff --git a/parquet_file/src/cleanup.rs b/parquet_file/src/cleanup.rs
index a0702b401a..3a829e38cb 100644
--- a/parquet_file/src/cleanup.rs
+++ b/parquet_file/src/cleanup.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ pub enum Error {
 pub type Result<T, E = Error> = std::result::Result<T, E>;
 
 /// Delete all unreferenced parquet files.
+///
+/// This will hold the transaction lock while the list of files is being gathered.
 pub async fn cleanup_unreferenced_parquet_files<S>(catalog: &PreservedCatalog<S>) -> Result<()>
 where
     S: CatalogState,
@@ -37,30 +39,45 @@ where
     let store = catalog.object_store();
     let prefix = data_location(&store, catalog.server_id(), catalog.db_name());
 
-    let mut stream = store.list(Some(&prefix)).await.context(ReadError)?;
-    let mut files_removed = 0;
-    while let Some(paths) = stream.try_next().await.context(ReadError)? {
-        for path in paths {
-            let path_parsed: DirsAndFileName = path.clone().into();
+    // gather a list of "files to remove" eagerly so we do not block transactions on the catalog for too long
+    let to_remove = store
+        .list(Some(&prefix))
+        .await
+        .context(ReadError)?
+        .map_ok(|paths| {
+            paths
+                .into_iter()
+                .filter(|path| {
+                    let path_parsed: DirsAndFileName = path.clone().into();
 
-            // only delete if all of the following conditions are met:
-            // - filename ends with `.parquet`
-            // - file is not tracked by the catalog
-            if path_parsed
-                .file_name
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|part| part.encoded().ends_with(".parquet"))
-                .unwrap_or(false)
-                && !all_known.contains(&path_parsed)
-            {
-                store.delete(&path).await.context(WriteError)?;
-                files_removed += 1;
-            }
-        }
+                    // only delete if all of the following conditions are met:
+                    // - filename ends with `.parquet`
+                    // - file is not tracked by the catalog
+                    path_parsed
+                        .file_name
+                        .as_ref()
+                        .map(|part| part.encoded().ends_with(".parquet"))
+                        .unwrap_or(false)
+                        && !all_known.contains(&path_parsed)
+                })
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+        })
+        .try_concat()
+        .await
+        .context(ReadError)?;
+
+    // abort transaction cleanly to avoid warnings about uncommited transactions
+    transaction.abort();
+
+    // now that the transaction lock is dropped, perform the actual (and potentially slow) delete operation
+    let n_files = to_remove.len();
+    info!("Found {} files to delete, start deletion.", n_files);
+
+    for path in to_remove {
+        store.delete(&path).await.context(WriteError)?;
     }
 
-    transaction.abort();
-    info!("Removed {} files during clean-up.", files_removed);
+    info!("Finished deletion, removed {} files.", n_files);
 
     Ok(())
 }