diff --git a/pkg/icingadb/db.go b/pkg/icingadb/db.go
index 9446dea0..130f7098 100644
--- a/pkg/icingadb/db.go
+++ b/pkg/icingadb/db.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func (db *DB) BuildUpdateStmt(update interface{}) (string, int) {
 		`UPDATE %s SET %s WHERE id = :id`,
 		utils.TableName(update),
 		strings.Join(set, ", "),
-	), len(columns)
+	), len(columns) + 1 // +1 because of WHERE id = :id
 }
 
 func (db *DB) BuildUpsertStmt(subject interface{}) (stmt string, placeholders int) {
diff --git a/pkg/icingadb/sync.go b/pkg/icingadb/sync.go
index 80f0a07b..8682e05e 100644
--- a/pkg/icingadb/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/icingadb/sync.go
@@ -140,10 +140,9 @@ func (s Sync) ApplyDelta(ctx context.Context, delta *Delta) error {
 		com.ErrgroupReceive(g, errs)
 
 		g.Go(func() error {
-			// TODO (el): This is very slow in high latency scenarios.
-			// Use strings.Repeat() on the query and create a stmt
-			// with a size near the default value of max_allowed_packet.
-			return s.db.UpdateStreamed(ctx, entities)
+			// Using upsert here on purpose as this is the fastest way to do bulk updates.
+			// However, there is a risk that errors in the sync implementation could silently insert new rows.
+			return s.db.UpsertStreamed(ctx, entities, nil)
 		})
 	}