diff --git a/app/models/note.rb b/app/models/note.rb
index 00142815a..a20371366 100644
--- a/app/models/note.rb
+++ b/app/models/note.rb
@@ -147,8 +147,6 @@ class Note < ApplicationRecord
 
   def create_version
     return unless versioned_attributes_changed?
-    User.where(id: CurrentUser.id).update_all("note_update_count = note_update_count + 1")
-    CurrentUser.reload
 
     if merge_version?
       merge_version
diff --git a/app/models/note_version.rb b/app/models/note_version.rb
index 1ec07def1..c9c34a183 100644
--- a/app/models/note_version.rb
+++ b/app/models/note_version.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 class NoteVersion < ApplicationRecord
   before_validation :initialize_updater
-  belongs_to :updater, :class_name => "User"
+  belongs_to :updater, :class_name => "User", :counter_cache => "note_update_count"
   scope :for_user, lambda {|user_id| where("updater_id = ?", user_id)}
   attr_accessible :note_id, :x, :y, :width, :height, :body, :updater_id, :updater_ip_addr, :is_active, :post_id, :html_id, :version
 
diff --git a/app/models/post.rb b/app/models/post.rb
index b389aa37b..e1056668f 100644
--- a/app/models/post.rb
+++ b/app/models/post.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Post < ApplicationRecord
 
   belongs_to :updater, :class_name => "User"
   belongs_to :approver, :class_name => "User"
-  belongs_to :uploader, :class_name => "User"
+  belongs_to :uploader, :class_name => "User", :counter_cache => "post_upload_count"
   belongs_to :parent, :class_name => "Post"
   has_one :upload, :dependent => :destroy
   has_one :artist_commentary, :dependent => :destroy
diff --git a/app/models/post_archive.rb b/app/models/post_archive.rb
index bd2bf3a22..abdc7f98f 100644
--- a/app/models/post_archive.rb
+++ b/app/models/post_archive.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class PostArchive < ApplicationRecord
   extend Memoist
 
   belongs_to :post
-  belongs_to :updater, class_name: "User"
+  belongs_to :updater, class_name: "User", counter_cache: "post_update_count"
 
   def self.enabled?
     Danbooru.config.aws_sqs_archives_url.present?
diff --git a/app/models/upload.rb b/app/models/upload.rb
index 8563b1c99..c1b3adf14 100644
--- a/app/models/upload.rb
+++ b/app/models/upload.rb
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ class Upload < ApplicationRecord
       post = convert_to_post
       post.distribute_files
       if post.save
-        User.where(id: CurrentUser.id).update_all("post_upload_count = post_upload_count + 1")
         create_artist_commentary(post) if include_artist_commentary?
         ugoira_service.save_frame_data(post) if is_ugoira?
         notify_cropper(post)
diff --git a/test/unit/post_test.rb b/test/unit/post_test.rb
index 13b19c30a..f1151b706 100644
--- a/test/unit/post_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/post_test.rb
@@ -61,6 +61,25 @@ class PostTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
         assert_equal(0, Favorite.for_user(@user.id).where("post_id = ?", @post.id).count)
       end
 
+      should "decrement the uploader's upload count" do
+        assert_difference("@post.uploader.reload.post_upload_count", -1) do
+          @post.expunge!
+        end
+      end
+
+      should "decrement the user's note update count" do
+        FactoryGirl.create(:note, post: @post)
+        assert_difference(["@post.uploader.reload.note_update_count"], -1) do
+          @post.expunge!
+        end
+      end
+
+      should "decrement the user's post update count" do
+        assert_difference(["@post.uploader.reload.post_update_count"], -1) do
+          @post.expunge!
+        end
+      end
+
       should "remove the post from iqdb" do
         mock_iqdb_service!
         Post.iqdb_sqs_service.expects(:send_message).with("remove\n#{@post.id}")
@@ -1162,11 +1181,13 @@ class PostTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
         should "increment the updater's post_update_count" do
           PostArchive.sqs_service.stubs(:merge?).returns(false)
           post = FactoryGirl.create(:post, :tag_string => "aaa bbb ccc")
-          CurrentUser.reload
 
-          assert_difference("CurrentUser.post_update_count", 1) do
+          # XXX in the test environment the update count gets bumped twice: and
+          # once by Post#post_update_count, and once by the counter cache. in
+          # production the counter cache doesn't bump the count, because
+          # versions are created on a separate server.
+          assert_difference("CurrentUser.user.reload.post_update_count", 2) do
             post.update_attributes(:tag_string => "zzz")
-            CurrentUser.reload
           end
         end