diff --git a/internal/requests/service.go b/internal/requests/service.go
index 4bffc775..1ca639b2 100644
--- a/internal/requests/service.go
+++ b/internal/requests/service.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/Silo-Server/silo-server/internal/idgen"
 	"github.com/Silo-Server/silo-server/internal/metadata/tmdb"
+	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 )
 
 type TMDBClient interface {
@@ -22,6 +23,8 @@ type TMDBExternalIDClient interface {
 	GetExternalIDs(ctx context.Context, mediaType string, id int) (*tmdb.ExternalIDs, error)
 }
 
+const externalIDHydrationConcurrency = 4
+
 type SecretResolver interface {
 	Get(ctx context.Context, key string) (string, error)
 }
@@ -733,6 +736,44 @@ func (s *Service) hydratePresenceCandidate(ctx context.Context, mediaType MediaT
 	return candidate
 }
 
+func (s *Service) hydratePresenceCandidates(ctx context.Context, mediaType MediaType, candidates []PresenceCandidate) []PresenceCandidate {
+	if len(candidates) == 0 {
+		return candidates
+	}
+	if _, ok := s.tmdb.(TMDBExternalIDClient); !ok {
+		return candidates
+	}
+
+	hydrated := append([]PresenceCandidate(nil), candidates...)
+	if externalIDHydrationConcurrency <= 1 {
+		for i := range hydrated {
+			if ctx.Err() != nil {
+				return hydrated
+			}
+			hydrated[i] = s.hydratePresenceCandidate(ctx, mediaType, hydrated[i])
+		}
+		return hydrated
+	}
+
+	group, groupCtx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
+	group.SetLimit(externalIDHydrationConcurrency)
+	for i := range hydrated {
+		if groupCtx.Err() != nil {
+			break
+		}
+		i := i
+		group.Go(func() error {
+			if err := groupCtx.Err(); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			hydrated[i] = s.hydratePresenceCandidate(groupCtx, mediaType, hydrated[i])
+			return nil
+		})
+	}
+	_ = group.Wait()
+	return hydrated
+}
+
 func tmdbMediaType(mediaType MediaType) string {
 	if mediaType == MediaTypeSeries {
 		return "tv"
@@ -741,12 +782,16 @@ func tmdbMediaType(mediaType MediaType) string {
 }
 
 func (s *Service) lookupAvailable(ctx context.Context, mediaType MediaType, ids []int) (map[int]bool, error) {
+	if s.presence == nil {
+		return map[int]bool{}, nil
+	}
 	candidates := make([]PresenceCandidate, 0, len(ids))
 	for _, id := range ids {
 		if id > 0 {
-			candidates = append(candidates, s.hydratePresenceCandidate(ctx, mediaType, PresenceCandidate{TMDBID: id}))
+			candidates = append(candidates, PresenceCandidate{TMDBID: id})
 		}
 	}
+	candidates = s.hydratePresenceCandidates(ctx, mediaType, candidates)
 	matches, err := s.lookupPresence(ctx, mediaType, candidates)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/internal/requests/service_test.go b/internal/requests/service_test.go
index a5bc39a8..87c2824d 100644
--- a/internal/requests/service_test.go
+++ b/internal/requests/service_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -309,6 +310,59 @@ func TestSearchMarksSeriesAvailableByHydratedTVDBID(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestSearchWithNilPresenceDoesNotHydrateExternalIDs(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newFakeStore()
+	store.settings.RequestsEnabled = true
+	tmdbClient := &fakeTMDBClient{page: &tmdb.MediaPage{Results: []tmdb.MediaResult{{
+		ID:        201992,
+		MediaType: "series",
+		Title:     "The Rookie: Feds",
+	}}}}
+	service := NewService(store, tmdbClient, nil)
+
+	_, err := service.Search(context.Background(), testViewer(1), "rookie feds", MediaTypeSeries, 1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Search returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(tmdbClient.externalIDCalls) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("external ID calls = %v, want none", tmdbClient.externalIDCalls)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSearchHydratesMultipleResultsBeforePresenceLookup(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newFakeStore()
+	store.settings.RequestsEnabled = true
+	tmdbClient := &fakeTMDBClient{
+		page: &tmdb.MediaPage{Results: []tmdb.MediaResult{
+			{ID: 201992, MediaType: "series", Title: "The Rookie: Feds"},
+			{ID: 1399, MediaType: "series", Title: "Game of Thrones"},
+		}},
+		externalIDsByID: map[int]*tmdb.ExternalIDs{
+			201992: {TVDBID: 420105, IMDbID: "tt18076310"},
+			1399:   {TVDBID: 121361, IMDbID: "tt0944947"},
+		},
+	}
+	presence := &fakePresence{}
+	service := NewService(store, tmdbClient, presence)
+
+	_, err := service.Search(context.Background(), testViewer(1), "series", MediaTypeSeries, 1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Search returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(presence.got) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("presence candidates = %d, want 2", len(presence.got))
+	}
+	got := map[int]int{}
+	for _, candidate := range presence.got {
+		if candidate.TVDBID != nil {
+			got[candidate.TMDBID] = *candidate.TVDBID
+		}
+	}
+	if got[201992] != 420105 || got[1399] != 121361 {
+		t.Fatalf("hydrated tvdb ids = %+v", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSearchEnrichmentHidesOtherRequesterID(t *testing.T) {
 	store := newFakeStore()
 	store.settings.RequestsEnabled = true
@@ -963,6 +1017,7 @@ func (f *fakePresence) LookupTMDB(_ context.Context, mediaType MediaType, ids []
 }
 
 type fakeTMDBClient struct {
+	mu              sync.Mutex
 	page            *tmdb.MediaPage
 	externalIDs     *tmdb.ExternalIDs
 	externalIDsByID map[int]*tmdb.ExternalIDs
@@ -993,7 +1048,9 @@ func (f *fakeTMDBClient) DiscoverPage(context.Context, string, tmdb.DiscoverPara
 }
 
 func (f *fakeTMDBClient) GetExternalIDs(_ context.Context, _ string, id int) (*tmdb.ExternalIDs, error) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
 	f.externalIDCalls = append(f.externalIDCalls, id)
+	f.mu.Unlock()
 	if f.externalIDsByID != nil {
 		return f.externalIDsByID[id], nil
 	}