diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c19f0f38ee..d2f55ca20c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ### Changed
 
 - Localized the default account name created during user registration
+- Improved the performance of deleting a watchlist item
 - Extended the `POST api/v1/user` endpoint by the language code
 - Improved the language localization for German (`de`)
 - Upgraded `@internationalized/number` from version `3.6.7` to `3.6.8`
diff --git a/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.controller.ts b/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.controller.ts
index d833981392..b9250833ec 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.controller.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.controller.ts
@@ -52,14 +52,13 @@ export class WatchlistController {
     @Param('dataSource') dataSource: DataSource,
     @Param('symbol') symbol: string
   ) {
-    const watchlistItems =
-      await this.watchlistService.getWatchlistItems(userId);
-
-    const watchlistItem = watchlistItems.find((item) => {
-      return item.dataSource === dataSource && item.symbol === symbol;
+    const hasWatchlistItem = await this.watchlistService.hasWatchlistItem({
+      dataSource,
+      symbol,
+      userId
     });
 
-    if (!watchlistItem) {
+    if (!hasWatchlistItem) {
       throw new HttpException(
         getReasonPhrase(StatusCodes.NOT_FOUND),
         StatusCodes.NOT_FOUND
diff --git a/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.service.ts b/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.service.ts
index 88702da007..53076b311c 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/app/endpoints/watchlist/watchlist.service.ts
@@ -152,4 +152,20 @@ export class WatchlistService {
       return a.name.localeCompare(b.name);
     });
   }
+
+  public async hasWatchlistItem({
+    dataSource,
+    symbol,
+    userId
+  }: { userId: string } & AssetProfileIdentifier): Promise<boolean> {
+    const assetProfile = await this.prismaService.symbolProfile.findFirst({
+      where: {
+        dataSource,
+        symbol,
+        watchedBy: { some: { id: userId } }
+      }
+    });
+
+    return !!assetProfile;
+  }
 }