diff --git a/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/legacy/sql_dashboards.go b/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/legacy/sql_dashboards.go
index f44fd66cf64..817f0e49323 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/legacy/sql_dashboards.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/legacy/sql_dashboards.go
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ type rowsWrapper struct {
 	err error
 }
 
-func (a *dashboardSqlAccess) Namespaces(ctx context.Context) ([]string, error) {
+func (a *dashboardSqlAccess) GetResourceStats(ctx context.Context, minCount int) ([]resource.ResourceStats, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("not implemented")
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/resource/cdk_backend.go b/pkg/storage/unified/resource/cdk_backend.go
index d9aabec1005..34d49fd2fcc 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/resource/cdk_backend.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/resource/cdk_backend.go
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ func (s *cdkBackend) getPath(key *ResourceKey, rv int64) string {
 	return buffer.String()
 }
 
-func (s *cdkBackend) Namespaces(ctx context.Context) ([]string, error) {
+// GetResourceStats implements Backend.
+func (s *cdkBackend) GetResourceStats(ctx context.Context, minCount int) ([]ResourceStats, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("not implemented")
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/resource/search.go b/pkg/storage/unified/resource/search.go
index 56bfcacb3ce..c37f5124fd1 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/resource/search.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/resource/search.go
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ type searchSupport struct {
 	access      authz.AccessClient
 	builders    *builderCache
 	initWorkers int
+	initMinSize int
 }
 
 var (
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ func newSearchSupport(opts SearchOptions, storage StorageBackend, access authz.A
 		search:      opts.Backend,
 		log:         slog.Default().With("logger", "resource-search"),
 		initWorkers: opts.WorkerThreads,
+		initMinSize: opts.InitMinCount,
 	}
 
 	info, err := opts.Resources.GetDocumentBuilders()
@@ -164,40 +166,22 @@ func (s *searchSupport) init(ctx context.Context) error {
 	_, span := s.tracer.Start(ctx, tracingPrexfixSearch+"Init")
 	defer span.End()
 
-	// TODO, replace namespaces with a query that gets top values
-	namespaces, err := s.storage.Namespaces(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// Hardcoded for now... should come from the query
-	kinds := []schema.GroupResource{
-		{Group: "dashboard.grafana.app", Resource: "dashboards"},
-		{Group: "playlist.grafana.app", Resource: "playlists"},
-	}
-
 	totalBatchesIndexed := 0
 	group := errgroup.Group{}
 	group.SetLimit(s.initWorkers)
 
-	// Prepare all the (large) indexes
-	// TODO, threading and query real information:
-	// SELECT namespace,"group",resource,COUNT(*),resource_version FROM resource
-	//   GROUP BY "group", "resource", "namespace"
-	//   ORDER BY resource_version desc;
-	for _, ns := range namespaces {
-		for _, gr := range kinds {
-			group.Go(func() error {
-				s.log.Debug("initializing search index", "namespace", ns, "gr", gr)
-				totalBatchesIndexed++
-				_, _, err = s.build(ctx, NamespacedResource{
-					Group:     gr.Group,
-					Resource:  gr.Resource,
-					Namespace: ns,
-				}, 10, 0) // TODO, approximate size
-				return err
-			})
-		}
+	stats, err := s.storage.GetResourceStats(ctx, s.initMinSize)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for _, info := range stats {
+		group.Go(func() error {
+			s.log.Debug("initializing search index", "namespace", info.Namespace, "group", info.Group, "resource", info.Resource)
+			totalBatchesIndexed++
+			_, _, err = s.build(ctx, info.NamespacedResource, info.Count, info.ResourceVersion)
+			return err
+		})
 	}
 
 	err = group.Wait()
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/resource/server.go b/pkg/storage/unified/resource/server.go
index 30c6d0a6ade..614f8534ed7 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/resource/server.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/resource/server.go
@@ -95,7 +95,14 @@ type StorageBackend interface {
 	// For HA setups, this will be more events than the local WriteEvent above!
 	WatchWriteEvents(ctx context.Context) (<-chan *WrittenEvent, error)
 
-	Namespaces(ctx context.Context) ([]string, error)
+	GetResourceStats(ctx context.Context, minCount int) ([]ResourceStats, error)
+}
+
+type ResourceStats struct {
+	NamespacedResource
+
+	Count           int64
+	ResourceVersion int64
 }
 
 // This interface is not exposed to end users directly
@@ -133,6 +140,9 @@ type SearchOptions struct {
 
 	// How many threads should build indexes
 	WorkerThreads int
+
+	// Skip building index on startup for small indexes
+	InitMinCount int
 }
 
 type ResourceServerOptions struct {
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go
index 0e8f45d173a..4be8773cf67 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go
@@ -121,6 +121,38 @@ func (b *backend) Stop(_ context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// GetResourceStats implements Backend.
+func (b *backend) GetResourceStats(ctx context.Context, minCount int) ([]resource.ResourceStats, error) {
+	_, span := b.tracer.Start(ctx, tracePrefix+".GetResourceStats")
+	defer span.End()
+
+	req := &sqlStatsRequest{
+		SQLTemplate: sqltemplate.New(b.dialect),
+		MinCount:    minCount, // not used in query... yet?
+	}
+
+	res := make([]resource.ResourceStats, 0, 100)
+	err := b.db.WithTx(ctx, ReadCommittedRO, func(ctx context.Context, tx db.Tx) error {
+		rows, err := dbutil.QueryRows(ctx, tx, sqlResourceStats, req)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		for rows.Next() {
+			row := resource.ResourceStats{}
+			err = rows.Scan(&row.Namespace, &row.Group, &row.Resource, &row.Count, &row.ResourceVersion)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if row.Count > int64(minCount) {
+				res = append(res, row)
+			}
+		}
+		return err
+	})
+
+	return res, err
+}
+
 func (b *backend) WriteEvent(ctx context.Context, event resource.WriteEvent) (int64, error) {
 	_, span := b.tracer.Start(ctx, tracePrefix+"WriteEvent")
 	defer span.End()
@@ -137,35 +169,6 @@ func (b *backend) WriteEvent(ctx context.Context, event resource.WriteEvent) (in
 	}
 }
 
-// Namespaces returns the list of unique namespaces in storage.
-func (b *backend) Namespaces(ctx context.Context) ([]string, error) {
-	var namespaces []string
-
-	err := b.db.WithTx(ctx, RepeatableRead, func(ctx context.Context, tx db.Tx) error {
-		rows, err := tx.QueryContext(ctx, "SELECT DISTINCT(namespace) FROM resource ORDER BY namespace;")
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		defer func() {
-			_ = rows.Close()
-		}()
-
-		for rows.Next() {
-			var ns string
-			err = rows.Scan(&ns)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			namespaces = append(namespaces, ns)
-		}
-
-		return nil
-	})
-
-	return namespaces, err
-}
-
 func (b *backend) create(ctx context.Context, event resource.WriteEvent) (int64, error) {
 	ctx, span := b.tracer.Start(ctx, tracePrefix+"Create")
 	defer span.End()
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/data/resource_stats.sql b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/data/resource_stats.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c5d8cc69589
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/data/resource_stats.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+SELECT
+  {{ .Ident "namespace" }},
+  {{ .Ident "group"     }},
+  {{ .Ident "resource"  }},
+  COUNT(*),
+  MAX({{ .Ident "resource_version" }})
+FROM {{ .Ident "resource" }}
+GROUP BY 
+  {{ .Ident "namespace" }},
+  {{ .Ident "group"     }},
+  {{ .Ident "resource"  }}
+;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries.go
index 7ce060e07a7..27fc77ad55c 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ var (
 	sqlResourceInsert          = mustTemplate("resource_insert.sql")
 	sqlResourceUpdate          = mustTemplate("resource_update.sql")
 	sqlResourceRead            = mustTemplate("resource_read.sql")
+	sqlResourceStats           = mustTemplate("resource_stats.sql")
 	sqlResourceList            = mustTemplate("resource_list.sql")
 	sqlResourceHistoryList     = mustTemplate("resource_history_list.sql")
 	sqlResourceUpdateRV        = mustTemplate("resource_update_rv.sql")
@@ -71,6 +72,15 @@ func (r sqlResourceRequest) Validate() error {
 	return nil // TODO
 }
 
+type sqlStatsRequest struct {
+	sqltemplate.SQLTemplate
+	MinCount int
+}
+
+func (r sqlStatsRequest) Validate() error {
+	return nil // TODO
+}
+
 type historyPollResponse struct {
 	Key             resource.ResourceKey
 	ResourceVersion int64
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries_test.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries_test.go
index 788abe95dad..30fe25eed2f 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/queries_test.go
@@ -219,5 +219,15 @@ func TestUnifiedStorageQueries(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
+
+			sqlResourceStats: {
+				{
+					Name: "query",
+					Data: &sqlStatsRequest{
+						SQLTemplate: mocks.NewTestingSQLTemplate(),
+						MinCount:    10, // Not yet used in query (only response filter)
+					},
+				},
+			},
 		}})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go
index d234cfaa5df..a0fe7e230ad 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ func NewResourceServer(ctx context.Context, db infraDB.DB, cfg *setting.Cfg,
 			}, tracer, reg),
 			Resources:     docs,
 			WorkerThreads: 5, // from cfg?
+			InitMinCount:  1,
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/test/integration_test.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/test/integration_test.go
index 6297c71fe78..2abe4aec365 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/test/integration_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/test/integration_test.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/grafana/authlib/claims"
 	"github.com/grafana/dskit/services"
-
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/apimachinery/identity"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/apimachinery/utils"
 	infraDB "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/infra/db"
@@ -98,6 +97,12 @@ func TestIntegrationBackendHappyPath(t *testing.T) {
 		rv3, err = writeEvent(ctx, backend, "item3", resource.WatchEvent_ADDED)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.Greater(t, rv3, rv2)
+
+		stats, err := backend.GetResourceStats(ctx, 0)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Len(t, stats, 1)
+		require.Equal(t, int64(3), stats[0].Count)
+		require.Equal(t, rv3, stats[0].ResourceVersion)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("Update item2", func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/mysql--resource_stats-query.sql b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/mysql--resource_stats-query.sql
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..3818b621a11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/mysql--resource_stats-query.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+SELECT
+  `namespace`,
+  `group`,
+  `resource`,
+  COUNT(*),
+  MAX(`resource_version`)
+FROM `resource`
+GROUP BY 
+  `namespace`,
+  `group`,
+  `resource`
+;
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/postgres--resource_stats-query.sql b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/postgres--resource_stats-query.sql
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..095b0a8011b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/postgres--resource_stats-query.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+SELECT
+  "namespace",
+  "group",
+  "resource",
+  COUNT(*),
+  MAX("resource_version")
+FROM "resource"
+GROUP BY 
+  "namespace",
+  "group",
+  "resource"
+;
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/sqlite--resource_stats-query.sql b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/sqlite--resource_stats-query.sql
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..095b0a8011b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/testdata/sqlite--resource_stats-query.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+SELECT
+  "namespace",
+  "group",
+  "resource",
+  COUNT(*),
+  MAX("resource_version")
+FROM "resource"
+GROUP BY 
+  "namespace",
+  "group",
+  "resource"
+;