diff --git a/nomen/notifications.py b/nomen/notifications.py
index 970f5ca..9d9bc89 100644
--- a/nomen/notifications.py
+++ b/nomen/notifications.py
@@ -132,6 +132,13 @@ async def handle_triggers(ctx, message):
     db_updates = []
 
     search_query = """
+    WITH
+        pauses AS (SELECT user_id FROM user_pauses WHERE guild_id=:guild),
+        ignores AS (
+            SELECT target, user_id FROM user_ignores WHERE guild_id=:guild
+            UNION
+            SELECT target, user_id FROM user_blocks
+        )
     SELECT keyword, user_id, use_embed
     FROM ( -- Deduplicate notification recipients by user_id
         SELECT keyword, user_id, use_embed, row_number() over (partition by user_id) n
@@ -140,14 +147,11 @@ async def handle_triggers(ctx, message):
         WHERE likely(disabled IS NOT 1)                            -- Don't notify users who opted out
         AND (unlikely(notify_self IS 1) OR user_id IS NOT :author) -- Don't notify author unless wanted
         AND (unlikely(bots_notify IS 1) OR :is_bot IS NOT 1)       -- Don't notify from bots unless wanted
-        AND likely(NOT EXISTS(SELECT * FROM (                   -- Don't notify if...
-            SELECT target FROM user_ignores                 -- Author or channel is ignored in this guild
-            WHERE user_id=user_id AND guild_id=:guild
-            UNION
-            SELECT target FROM user_blocks                  -- Author is blocked
-            WHERE user_id=user_id
-        ) WHERE target IN (:author, :channel, :category, :parent)))
-        AND likely(NOT EXISTS(SELECT * FROM user_pauses WHERE user_id=user_id AND guild_id=:guild))
+        AND likely(:author NOT IN (SELECT target FROM ignores WHERE user_id=user_id))
+        AND likely(:channel NOT IN (SELECT target FROM ignores WHERE user_id=user_id))
+        AND likely(:category NOT IN (SELECT target FROM ignores WHERE user_id=user_id))
+        AND likely(:parent NOT IN (SELECT target FROM ignores WHERE user_id=user_id))
+        AND likely(user_id NOT IN pauses)
         AND guild_id=:guild AND unlikely(contains(:content, keyword, regex))
     )
     WHERE n=1