mysql> explain SELECT username, picture FROM friends INNER JOIN members ON members.id = '9470' WHERE picture != 'NULL'; +----+-------------+---------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+-------+-------+-------------+ | id | select_type | table | type | possible_keys | key | key_len | ref | rows | Extra | +----+-------------+---------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+-------+-------+-------------+ | 1 | SIMPLE | members | const | PRIMARY | PRIMARY | 3 | const | 1 | | | 1 | SIMPLE | friends | index | NULL | PRIMARY | 3 | NULL | 30155 | Using index | +----+-------------+---------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+-------+-------+-------------+