diff --git a/core/base.go b/core/base.go
index 89a8609b..fd695713 100644
--- a/core/base.go
+++ b/core/base.go
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase/tools/store"
 	"github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase/tools/subscriptions"
 	"github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase/tools/types"
+	"github.com/spf13/cast"
+	"golang.org/x/sync/semaphore"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -1190,6 +1192,33 @@ func (app *BaseApp) initAuxDB() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// @todo remove after refactoring the FilesManager interface
+func supportFiles(m Model) bool {
+	var collection *Collection
+	switch v := m.(type) {
+	case *Collection:
+		collection = v
+	case *Record:
+		collection = v.Collection()
+	case RecordProxy:
+		if v.ProxyRecord() != nil {
+			collection = v.ProxyRecord().Collection()
+		}
+	}
+
+	if collection == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	for _, f := range collection.Fields {
+		if f.Type() == FieldTypeFile {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 func (app *BaseApp) registerBaseHooks() {
 	deletePrefix := func(prefix string) error {
 		fs, err := app.NewFilesystem()
@@ -1206,26 +1235,44 @@ func (app *BaseApp) registerBaseHooks() {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	maxFilesDeleteWorkers := cast.ToInt64(os.Getenv("PB_FILES_DELETE_MAX_WORKERS"))
+	if maxFilesDeleteWorkers <= 0 {
+		maxFilesDeleteWorkers = 2000 // the value is arbitrary chosen and may change in the future
+	}
+
+	deleteSem := semaphore.NewWeighted(maxFilesDeleteWorkers)
+
 	// try to delete the storage files from deleted Collection, Records, etc. model
 	app.OnModelAfterDeleteSuccess().Bind(&hook.Handler[*ModelEvent]{
 		Id: "__pbFilesManagerDelete__",
 		Func: func(e *ModelEvent) error {
-			if m, ok := e.Model.(FilesManager); ok && m.BaseFilesPath() != "" {
+			if m, ok := e.Model.(FilesManager); ok && m.BaseFilesPath() != "" && supportFiles(e.Model) {
 				// ensure that there is a trailing slash so that the list iterator could start walking from the prefix dir
 				// (https://github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase/discussions/5246#discussioncomment-10128955)
 				prefix := strings.TrimRight(m.BaseFilesPath(), "/") + "/"
 
-				// run in the background for "optimistic" delete to avoid
-				// blocking the delete transaction
-				routine.FireAndForget(func() {
-					if err := deletePrefix(prefix); err != nil {
-						app.Logger().Error(
-							"Failed to delete storage prefix (non critical error; usually could happen because of S3 api limits)",
-							slog.String("prefix", prefix),
-							slog.String("error", err.Error()),
-						)
-					}
-				})
+				// note: for now assume no context cancellation
+				err := deleteSem.Acquire(context.Background(), 1)
+				if err != nil {
+					app.Logger().Error(
+						"Failed to delete storage prefix (couldn't acquire a worker)",
+						slog.String("prefix", prefix),
+						slog.String("error", err.Error()),
+					)
+				} else {
+					// run in the background for "optimistic" delete to avoid blocking the delete transaction
+					routine.FireAndForget(func() {
+						defer deleteSem.Release(1)
+
+						if err := deletePrefix(prefix); err != nil {
+							app.Logger().Error(
+								"Failed to delete storage prefix (non critical error; usually could happen because of S3 api limits)",
+								slog.String("prefix", prefix),
+								slog.String("error", err.Error()),
+							)
+						}
+					})
+				}
 			}
 
 			return e.Next()