diff --git a/lib/MetaCPAN/Document/Distribution.pm b/lib/MetaCPAN/Document/Distribution.pm
index 131551c71..25bde766d 100644
--- a/lib/MetaCPAN/Document/Distribution.pm
+++ b/lib/MetaCPAN/Document/Distribution.pm
@@ -37,26 +37,19 @@ sub releases {
 
 sub set_first_release {
     my $self = shift;
-    $self->unset_first_release;
-    my $release = $self->releases->sort( ["date"] )->first;
-    return unless $release;
-    return $release if $release->first;
-    $release->_set_first(1);
-    $release->put;
-    return $release;
-}
 
-sub unset_first_release {
-    my $self = shift;
-    my $releases
-        = $self->releases->filter( { term => { first => 'true' }, } )
-        ->size(200)->scroll;
-    while ( my $release = $releases->next ) {
-        $release->_set_first(0);
-        $release->update;
+    my @releases = $self->releases->sort( ["date"] )->all;
+
+    my $first = shift @releases;
+    $first->_set_first(1);
+    $first->put;
+
+    for my $rel (@releases) {
+        $rel->_set_first(0);
+        $rel->put;
     }
-    $self->index->refresh if $releases->total;
-    return $releases->total;
+
+    return $first;
 }
 
 __PACKAGE__->meta->make_immutable;
diff --git a/lib/MetaCPAN/Script/Release.pm b/lib/MetaCPAN/Script/Release.pm
index 5978f2bc0..25381f12d 100644
--- a/lib/MetaCPAN/Script/Release.pm
+++ b/lib/MetaCPAN/Script/Release.pm
@@ -275,10 +275,6 @@ sub import_archive {
     # update 'first' value
     $document->set_first;
     $document->put;
-
-    sleep 2
-        if defined $ENV{'METACPAN_SERVER_CONFIG_LOCAL_SUFFIX'}
-        and $ENV{'METACPAN_SERVER_CONFIG_LOCAL_SUFFIX'} eq 'testing';
 }
 
 sub _build_backpan_index {
diff --git a/t/00_setup.t b/t/00_setup.t
index 2e1929b34..818b206fd 100644
--- a/t/00_setup.t
+++ b/t/00_setup.t
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ copy( $src_dir->file('bugs.tsv'), $fakecpan_dir->file('bugs.tsv') );
 
 $server->index_releases;
 $server->set_latest;
+$server->set_first;
 $server->index_authors;
 $server->index_cpantesters;
 
diff --git a/t/lib/MetaCPAN/TestServer.pm b/t/lib/MetaCPAN/TestServer.pm
index 0afd2b81b..e6c4b2a0d 100644
--- a/t/lib/MetaCPAN/TestServer.pm
+++ b/t/lib/MetaCPAN/TestServer.pm
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use CPAN::Repository::Perms;
 use MetaCPAN::Script::Author;
 use MetaCPAN::Script::CPANTesters ();
 use MetaCPAN::Script::Latest;
+use MetaCPAN::Script::First;
 use MetaCPAN::Script::Mapping;
 use MetaCPAN::Script::Release;
 use MetaCPAN::Server ();
@@ -184,6 +185,13 @@ sub set_latest {
         'latest' );
 }
 
+sub set_first {
+    my $self = shift;
+    local @ARGV = ('first');
+    ok( MetaCPAN::Script::First->new_with_options( $self->_config )->run,
+        'first' );
+}
+
 sub index_authors {
     my $self = shift;