diff --git a/constellation/src/server/mod.rs b/constellation/src/server/mod.rs
--- a/constellation/src/server/mod.rs
+++ b/constellation/src/server/mod.rs
@@ -274,10 +274,6 @@
         .get_links(&query.target, &query.collection, &query.path, limit, until)
         .map_err(|_| http::StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)?;
 
-    let total = store
-        .get_count(&query.target, &query.collection, &query.path)
-        .map_err(|_| http::StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)?;
-
     let cursor = paged.next.map(|next| {
         ApiCursor {
             version: paged.version,
@@ -289,7 +285,7 @@
     Ok(acceptable(
         accept,
         GetLinkItemsResponse {
-            total: total,
+            total: paged.total,
             linking_records: paged.items,
             cursor,
             query: (*query).clone(),
@@ -339,12 +335,6 @@
         .get_distinct_dids(&query.target, &query.collection, &query.path, limit, until)
         .map_err(|_| http::StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)?;
 
-    let distinct_dids_total = store
-        .get_distinct_did_count(&query.target, &query.collection, &query.path)
-        .map_err(|_| http::StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)?;
-
-
-
     let cursor = paged.next.map(|next| {
         ApiCursor {
             version: paged.version,
@@ -356,7 +346,7 @@
     Ok(acceptable(
         accept,
         GetDidItemsResponse {
-            total: distinct_dids_total,
+            total: paged.total,
             linking_dids: paged.items,
             cursor,
             query: (*query).clone(),
diff --git a/constellation/src/storage/mem_store.rs b/constellation/src/storage/mem_store.rs
--- a/constellation/src/storage/mem_store.rs
+++ b/constellation/src/storage/mem_store.rs
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@
                 version: (0, 0),
                 items: Vec::new(),
                 next: None,
+                total: 0,
             });
         };
         let Some(did_rkeys) = paths.get(&Source::new(collection, path)) else {
@@ -180,6 +181,7 @@
                 version: (0, 0),
                 items: Vec::new(),
                 next: None,
+                total: 0,
             });
         };
 
@@ -209,6 +211,7 @@
             version: (total as u64, gone as u64),
             items,
             next,
+            total: alive as u64,
         })
     }
 
@@ -226,6 +229,7 @@
                 version: (0, 0),
                 items: Vec::new(),
                 next: None,
+                total: 0,
             });
         };
         let Some(did_rkeys) = paths.get(&Source::new(collection, path)) else {
@@ -233,6 +237,7 @@
                 version: (0, 0),
                 items: Vec::new(),
                 next: None,
+                total: 0,
             });
         };
 
@@ -275,6 +280,7 @@
             version: (total as u64, gone as u64),
             items,
             next,
+            total: alive as u64,
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/constellation/src/storage/mod.rs b/constellation/src/storage/mod.rs
--- a/constellation/src/storage/mod.rs
+++ b/constellation/src/storage/mod.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     pub version: (u64, u64), // (collection length, deleted item count) // TODO: change to (total, active)? since dedups isn't "deleted"
     pub items: Vec<T>,
     pub next: Option<u64>,
+    pub total: u64,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq)]
diff --git a/constellation/src/storage/rocks_store.rs b/constellation/src/storage/rocks_store.rs
--- a/constellation/src/storage/rocks_store.rs
+++ b/constellation/src/storage/rocks_store.rs
@@ -872,6 +872,7 @@
                 version: (0, 0),
                 items: Vec::new(),
                 next: None,
+                total: 0,
             });
         };
 
@@ -914,6 +915,7 @@
             version: (total, gone),
             items,
             next,
+            total: alive,
         })
     }
 
@@ -936,6 +938,7 @@
                 version: (0, 0),
                 items: Vec::new(),
                 next: None,
+                total: 0,
             });
         };
 
@@ -974,6 +977,7 @@
             version: (total, gone),
             items,
             next,
+            total: alive,
         })
     }