mysql> explain select count(*) from text,revision where old_flags='utf-8' and rev_id=old_id; +----+-------------+----------+--------+---------------+---------+---------+--------------------+-----------+-------------+ | id | select_type | table | type | possible_keys | key | key_len | ref | rows | Extra | +----+-------------+----------+--------+---------------+---------+---------+--------------------+-----------+-------------+ | 1 | SIMPLE | revision | index | rev_id | rev_id | 4 | NULL | 114966477 | Using index | | 1 | SIMPLE | text | eq_ref | PRIMARY | PRIMARY | 4 | en.revision.rev_id | 1 | Using where |