diff --git a/mealie/repos/repository_generic.py b/mealie/repos/repository_generic.py
index e0c9e5d8f..76a5b10a4 100644
--- a/mealie/repos/repository_generic.py
+++ b/mealie/repos/repository_generic.py
@@ -364,14 +364,16 @@ class RepositoryGeneric[Schema: MealieModel, Model: SqlAlchemyBase]:
                 self.logger.error(e)
                 raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail=str(e)) from e
 
-        count_query = select(func.count()).select_from(query.subquery())
+        count_query = select(func.count()).select_from(query.order_by(None).distinct().subquery())
         count = self.session.scalar(count_query)
         if not count:
             count = 0
 
         # interpret -1 as "get_all"
+        limit: int | None = pagination.per_page
         if pagination.per_page == -1:
             pagination.per_page = count
+            limit = None
 
         try:
             total_pages = ceil(count / pagination.per_page)
@@ -387,7 +389,11 @@ class RepositoryGeneric[Schema: MealieModel, Model: SqlAlchemyBase]:
             pagination.page = 1
 
         query = self.add_order_by_to_query(query, pagination)
-        return query.limit(pagination.per_page).offset((pagination.page - 1) * pagination.per_page), count, total_pages
+
+        if limit is not None:
+            query = query.limit(limit)
+
+        return query.offset((pagination.page - 1) * pagination.per_page), count, total_pages
 
     def add_order_attr_to_query(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_pagination.py b/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_pagination.py
index 64c987a10..ecee158a8 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_pagination.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_pagination.py
@@ -131,6 +131,29 @@ def test_pagination_response_and_metadata(unique_user: TestUser):
     assert last_page_of_results.items[-1] == all_results.items[-1]
 
 
+def test_pagination_total_calculation(unique_user: TestUser):
+    db = unique_user.repos
+    unique_category_1, unused_category = (
+        db.categories.create(CategorySave(group_id=unique_user.group_id, name=random_string(10))) for _ in range(2)
+    )
+    recipe_1, recipe_2 = (
+        db.recipes.create(Recipe(user_id=unique_user.user_id, group_id=unique_user.group_id, name=random_string()))
+        for _ in range(2)
+    )
+    recipe_1.recipe_category = [unique_category_1]
+
+    db.recipes.update(recipe_1.slug, recipe_1)
+    db.recipes.update(recipe_2.slug, recipe_2)
+
+    query = PaginationQuery(page=1, per_page=64, query_filter=f"recipeCategory.name NOT IN [{unique_category_1.name}]")
+    result = db.recipes.page_all(query)
+    assert result.total == 1
+
+    query = PaginationQuery(page=1, per_page=64, query_filter=f"recipeCategory.name NOT IN [{unused_category.name}]")
+    result = db.recipes.page_all(query)
+    assert result.total == 2
+
+
 def test_pagination_guides(unique_user: TestUser):
     database = unique_user.repos
     group = database.groups.get_one(unique_user.group_id)
@@ -239,19 +262,19 @@ def test_pagination_filter_string_case_insensitive(
         units_repo.delete(upper_unit.id)
 
 
-def test_pagination_filter_null(unique_user: TestUser):
-    database = unique_user.repos
+def test_pagination_filter_null(unique_user_fn_scoped: TestUser):
+    database = unique_user_fn_scoped.repos
     recipe_not_made_1 = database.recipes.create(
         Recipe(
-            user_id=unique_user.user_id,
-            group_id=unique_user.group_id,
+            user_id=unique_user_fn_scoped.user_id,
+            group_id=unique_user_fn_scoped.group_id,
             name=random_string(),
         )
     )
     recipe_not_made_2 = database.recipes.create(
         Recipe(
-            user_id=unique_user.user_id,
-            group_id=unique_user.group_id,
+            user_id=unique_user_fn_scoped.user_id,
+            group_id=unique_user_fn_scoped.group_id,
             name=random_string(),
         )
     )
@@ -259,8 +282,8 @@ def test_pagination_filter_null(unique_user: TestUser):
     # give one recipe a last made date
     recipe_made = database.recipes.create(
         Recipe(
-            user_id=unique_user.user_id,
-            group_id=unique_user.group_id,
+            user_id=unique_user_fn_scoped.user_id,
+            group_id=unique_user_fn_scoped.group_id,
             name=random_string(),
             last_made=datetime.now(UTC),
         )
@@ -370,6 +393,7 @@ def test_pagination_filter_not_in_m2m(unique_user: TestUser):
     db.recipes.update(recipe_2.slug, recipe_2)
 
     query = PaginationQuery(page=1, per_page=-1, query_filter=f"recipeCategory.name NOT IN [{unique_category_1.name}]")
+
     recipe_results = db.recipes.page_all(query).items
     recipe_results_ids = {recipe.id for recipe in recipe_results}
     assert recipe_1.id not in recipe_results_ids