diff --git a/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex b/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex
index c497a4fb7..288555146 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Instances.Instance do
   alias Pleroma.Maps
   alias Pleroma.Repo
   alias Pleroma.User
-  alias Pleroma.Workers.BackgroundWorker
+  alias Pleroma.Workers.DeleteWorker
 
   use Ecto.Schema
 
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Instances.Instance do
   all of those users' activities and notifications.
   """
   def delete_users_and_activities(host) when is_binary(host) do
-    BackgroundWorker.enqueue("delete_instance", %{"host" => host})
+    DeleteWorker.enqueue("delete_instance", %{"host" => host})
   end
 
   def perform(:delete_instance, host) when is_binary(host) do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 7a8a68931..e28d76a7c 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
   alias Pleroma.Web.OAuth
   alias Pleroma.Web.RelMe
   alias Pleroma.Workers.BackgroundWorker
+  alias Pleroma.Workers.DeleteWorker
   alias Pleroma.Workers.UserRefreshWorker
 
   require Logger
@@ -1982,7 +1983,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
   def delete(%User{} = user) do
     # Purge the user immediately
     purge(user)
-    BackgroundWorker.enqueue("delete_user", %{"user_id" => user.id})
+    DeleteWorker.enqueue("delete_user", %{"user_id" => user.id})
   end
 
   # *Actually* delete the user from the DB
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/workers/background_worker.ex b/lib/pleroma/workers/background_worker.ex
index dbf40ee1b..d74cc08f1 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/workers/background_worker.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/workers/background_worker.ex
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
 
 defmodule Pleroma.Workers.BackgroundWorker do
-  alias Pleroma.Instances.Instance
   alias Pleroma.User
 
   use Pleroma.Workers.WorkerHelper, queue: "background"
@@ -15,11 +14,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Workers.BackgroundWorker do
     User.perform(:set_activation_async, user, status)
   end
 
-  def perform(%Job{args: %{"op" => "delete_user", "user_id" => user_id}}) do
-    user = User.get_cached_by_id(user_id)
-    User.perform(:delete, user)
-  end
-
   def perform(%Job{args: %{"op" => "force_password_reset", "user_id" => user_id}}) do
     user = User.get_cached_by_id(user_id)
     User.perform(:force_password_reset, user)
@@ -45,10 +39,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Workers.BackgroundWorker do
     User.perform(:verify_fields_links, user)
   end
 
-  def perform(%Job{args: %{"op" => "delete_instance", "host" => host}}) do
-    Instance.perform(:delete_instance, host)
-  end
-
   @impl Oban.Worker
-  def timeout(_job), do: :timer.seconds(900)
+  def timeout(_job), do: :timer.seconds(5)
 end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/workers/delete_worker.ex b/lib/pleroma/workers/delete_worker.ex
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..97003fb69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/pleroma/workers/delete_worker.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
+# Copyright © 2017-2022 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+
+defmodule Pleroma.Workers.DeleteWorker do
+  alias Pleroma.Instances.Instance
+  alias Pleroma.User
+
+  use Pleroma.Workers.WorkerHelper, queue: "slow"
+
+  @impl Oban.Worker
+
+  def perform(%Job{args: %{"op" => "delete_user", "user_id" => user_id}}) do
+    user = User.get_cached_by_id(user_id)
+    User.perform(:delete, user)
+  end
+
+  def perform(%Job{args: %{"op" => "delete_instance", "host" => host}}) do
+    Instance.perform(:delete_instance, host)
+  end
+
+  @impl Oban.Worker
+  def timeout(_job), do: :timer.seconds(900)
+end