diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailcore/migrations/0020_add_index_on_page_first_published_at.py b/wagtail/wagtailcore/migrations/0020_add_index_on_page_first_published_at.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..87ad61fb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailcore/migrations/0020_add_index_on_page_first_published_at.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import models, migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('wagtailcore', '0019_verbose_names_cleanup'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='page',
+            name='first_published_at',
+            field=models.DateTimeField(editable=False, null=True, verbose_name='First published at', db_index=True),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py b/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py
index e535bd436..ccdafbcab 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ class Page(six.with_metaclass(PageBase, MP_Node, ClusterableModel, index.Indexed
 
     locked = models.BooleanField(verbose_name=_('Locked'), default=False, editable=False)
 
-    first_published_at = models.DateTimeField(verbose_name=_('First published at'), null=True, editable=False)
+    first_published_at = models.DateTimeField(verbose_name=_('First published at'), null=True, editable=False, db_index=True)
     latest_revision_created_at = models.DateTimeField(verbose_name=_('Latest revision created at'), null=True, editable=False)
 
     search_fields = (