diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/start.ts b/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
index b6f0a39b3e..c40c0e6392 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
 	ActiveWorkflowRunner,
 	CredentialsOverwrites,
 	CredentialTypes,
+	DatabaseType,
 	Db,
 	ExternalHooks,
 	GenericHelpers,
@@ -156,6 +157,15 @@ export class Start extends Command {
 				// Wait till the database is ready
 				await startDbInitPromise;
 
+				const dbType = await GenericHelpers.getConfigValue('database.type') as DatabaseType;
+
+				if (dbType === 'sqlite') {
+					const shouldRunVacuum = config.get('database.sqlite.executeVacuumOnStartup') as number;
+					if (shouldRunVacuum) {
+						Db.collections.Execution!.query("VACUUM;");
+					}
+				}
+
 				if (flags.tunnel === true) {
 					this.log('\nWaiting for tunnel ...');
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/config/index.ts b/packages/cli/config/index.ts
index 5cbacddf85..0793e8c7f1 100644
--- a/packages/cli/config/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/config/index.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,14 @@ const config = convict({
 				env: 'DB_MYSQLDB_USER',
 			},
 		},
+		sqlite: {
+			executeVacuumOnStartup: {
+				doc: 'Runs VACUUM operation on startup to rebuild the database. Reduces filesize and optimizes indexes. WARNING: This is a long running blocking operation. Will increase start-up time.',
+				format: Boolean,
+				default: false,
+				env: 'DB_SQLITE_VACUUM_ON_STARTUP',
+			},
+		},
 	},
 
 	credentials: {