diff --git a/src/data/mod.rs b/src/data/mod.rs
index ecc8a7e2e..0b57f9a55 100644
--- a/src/data/mod.rs
+++ b/src/data/mod.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ impl Data {
         let path = options.db_path.clone();
         //let indexer_opts = options.indexer_options.clone();
         create_dir_all(&path)?;
-        let index_controller = ActorIndexController::new();
+        let index_controller = ActorIndexController::new(&path);
         let index_controller = Arc::new(index_controller);
 
         let mut api_keys = ApiKeys {
diff --git a/src/data/updates.rs b/src/data/updates.rs
index 7db04cd5d..01f5174a2 100644
--- a/src/data/updates.rs
+++ b/src/data/updates.rs
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
 use milli::update::{IndexDocumentsMethod, UpdateFormat};
 //use tokio::io::AsyncWriteExt;
 use actix_web::web::Payload;
-use tokio::fs::File;
-use tokio::io::{AsyncWriteExt, AsyncSeekExt};
-use futures::prelude::stream::StreamExt;
 
 use crate::index_controller::UpdateStatus;
 use crate::index_controller::{Settings, IndexMetadata};
@@ -17,18 +14,11 @@ impl Data {
         index: impl AsRef<str> + Send + Sync + 'static,
         method: IndexDocumentsMethod,
         format: UpdateFormat,
-        mut stream: Payload,
+        stream: Payload,
         primary_key: Option<String>,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<UpdateStatus>
     {
-        let file = tempfile::tempfile_in(".")?;
-        let mut file = File::from_std(file);
-        while let Some(item) = stream.next().await {
-            file.write_all(&item?).await?;
-        }
-        file.seek(std::io::SeekFrom::Start(0)).await?;
-        file.flush().await?;
-        let update_status = self.index_controller.add_documents(index.as_ref().to_string(), method, format, file, primary_key).await?;
+        let update_status = self.index_controller.add_documents(index.as_ref().to_string(), method, format, stream, primary_key).await?;
         Ok(update_status)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/mod.rs b/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/mod.rs
index 646d9cf45..58e58a45a 100644
--- a/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/mod.rs
+++ b/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/mod.rs
@@ -4,25 +4,29 @@ mod uuid_resolver;
 mod update_store;
 mod update_handler;
 
-use tokio::sync::oneshot;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
 use super::IndexController;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 use super::IndexMetadata;
-use tokio::fs::File;
+use futures::stream::StreamExt;
+use actix_web::web::Payload;
 use super::UpdateMeta;
 use crate::data::{SearchResult, SearchQuery};
+use actix_web::web::Bytes;
 
 pub struct ActorIndexController {
     uuid_resolver: uuid_resolver::UuidResolverHandle,
     index_handle: index_actor::IndexActorHandle,
-    update_handle: update_actor::UpdateActorHandle,
+    update_handle: update_actor::UpdateActorHandle<Bytes>,
 }
 
 impl ActorIndexController {
-    pub fn new() -> Self {
+    pub fn new(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Self {
         let uuid_resolver = uuid_resolver::UuidResolverHandle::new();
         let index_actor = index_actor::IndexActorHandle::new();
-        let update_handle = update_actor::UpdateActorHandle::new(index_actor.clone());
+        let update_handle = update_actor::UpdateActorHandle::new(index_actor.clone(), &path);
         Self { uuid_resolver, index_handle: index_actor, update_handle }
     }
 }
@@ -43,12 +47,22 @@ impl IndexController for ActorIndexController {
         index: String,
         method: milli::update::IndexDocumentsMethod,
         format: milli::update::UpdateFormat,
-        data: File,
+        mut payload: Payload,
         primary_key: Option<String>,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<super::UpdateStatus> {
         let uuid = self.uuid_resolver.get_or_create(index).await?;
         let meta = UpdateMeta::DocumentsAddition { method, format, primary_key };
-        let status = self.update_handle.update(meta, Some(data), uuid).await?;
+        let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel(10);
+
+        // It is necessary to spawn a local task to senf the payload to the update handle to
+        // prevent dead_locking between the update_handle::update that waits for the update to be
+        // registered and the update_actor that waits for the the payload to be sent to it.
+        tokio::task::spawn_local(async move {
+            while let Some(bytes) = payload.next().await {
+                sender.send(bytes.unwrap()).await;
+            }
+        });
+        let status = self.update_handle.update(meta, receiver, uuid).await?;
         Ok(status)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_actor.rs b/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_actor.rs
index 3d783009f..6fc873715 100644
--- a/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_actor.rs
+++ b/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_actor.rs
@@ -1,22 +1,24 @@
-use super::index_actor::IndexActorHandle;
-use uuid::Uuid;
-use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
-use crate::index_controller::{UpdateMeta, UpdateStatus, UpdateResult};
-use thiserror::Error;
-use tokio::io::AsyncReadExt;
-use log::info;
-use tokio::fs::File;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::fs::create_dir_all;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
+use log::info;
+use super::index_actor::IndexActorHandle;
+use thiserror::Error;
+use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
+use uuid::Uuid;
+use tokio::fs::File;
+use tokio::io::AsyncWriteExt;
+
+use crate::index_controller::{UpdateMeta, UpdateStatus, UpdateResult, updates::Pending};
+
 pub type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, UpdateError>;
 type UpdateStore = super::update_store::UpdateStore<UpdateMeta, UpdateResult, String>;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum UpdateError {}
 
-enum UpdateMsg {
+enum UpdateMsg<D> {
     CreateIndex{
         uuid: Uuid,
         ret: oneshot::Sender<Result<()>>,
@@ -24,20 +26,30 @@ enum UpdateMsg {
     Update {
         uuid: Uuid,
         meta: UpdateMeta,
-        payload: Option<File>,
+        data: mpsc::Receiver<D>,
         ret: oneshot::Sender<Result<UpdateStatus>>
     }
 }
 
-struct UpdateActor {
+struct UpdateActor<D> {
+    path: PathBuf,
     store: Arc<UpdateStore>,
-    inbox: mpsc::Receiver<UpdateMsg>,
+    inbox: mpsc::Receiver<UpdateMsg<D>>,
     index_handle: IndexActorHandle,
 }
 
-impl UpdateActor {
-    fn new(store: Arc<UpdateStore>, inbox: mpsc::Receiver<UpdateMsg>, index_handle: IndexActorHandle) -> Self {
-        Self { store, inbox, index_handle }
+impl<D> UpdateActor<D>
+where D: AsRef<[u8]> + Sized + 'static,
+{
+    fn new(
+        store: Arc<UpdateStore>,
+        inbox: mpsc::Receiver<UpdateMsg<D>>,
+        index_handle: IndexActorHandle,
+        path: impl AsRef<Path>,
+        ) -> Self {
+        let path = path.as_ref().to_owned().join("update_files");
+        create_dir_all(&path).unwrap();
+        Self { store, inbox, index_handle, path }
     }
 
     async fn run(mut self) {
@@ -45,29 +57,43 @@ impl UpdateActor {
 
         loop {
             match self.inbox.recv().await {
-                Some(UpdateMsg::Update { uuid, meta, payload, ret }) => self.handle_update(uuid, meta, payload, ret).await,
+                Some(UpdateMsg::Update { uuid, meta, data, ret }) => self.handle_update(uuid, meta, data, ret).await,
                 Some(_) => {}
                 None => {}
             }
         }
     }
 
-    async fn handle_update(&self, uuid: Uuid, meta: UpdateMeta, payload: Option<File>, ret: oneshot::Sender<Result<UpdateStatus>>) {
-        let mut buf = Vec::new();
-        let mut payload = payload.unwrap();
-        payload.read_to_end(&mut buf).await.unwrap();
-        let result = self.store.register_update(meta, &buf, uuid).unwrap();
+    async fn handle_update(&self, uuid: Uuid, meta: UpdateMeta, mut payload: mpsc::Receiver<D>, ret: oneshot::Sender<Result<UpdateStatus>>) {
+        let store = self.store.clone();
+        let update_file_id = uuid::Uuid::new_v4();
+        let path = self.path.join(format!("update_{}", update_file_id));
+        let mut file = File::create(&path).await.unwrap();
+
+        while let Some(bytes) = payload.recv().await {
+            file.write_all(bytes.as_ref()).await;
+        }
+
+        file.flush().await;
+
+        let file = file.into_std().await;
+
+        let result = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || -> anyhow::Result<Pending<UpdateMeta>> {
+            Ok(store.register_update(meta, path, uuid)?)
+        }).await.unwrap().unwrap();
         let _ = ret.send(Ok(UpdateStatus::Pending(result)));
     }
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct UpdateActorHandle {
-    sender: mpsc::Sender<UpdateMsg>,
+pub struct UpdateActorHandle<D> {
+    sender: mpsc::Sender<UpdateMsg<D>>,
 }
 
-impl UpdateActorHandle {
-    pub fn new(index_handle: IndexActorHandle) -> Self {
+impl<D> UpdateActorHandle<D>
+where D: AsRef<[u8]> + Sized + 'static,
+{
+    pub fn new(index_handle: IndexActorHandle, path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Self {
         let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel(100);
         let mut options = heed::EnvOpenOptions::new();
         options.map_size(4096 * 100_000);
@@ -79,16 +105,16 @@ impl UpdateActorHandle {
         let store = UpdateStore::open(options, &path, move |meta, file| {
             futures::executor::block_on(index_handle_clone.update(meta, file))
         }).unwrap();
-        let actor = UpdateActor::new(store, receiver, index_handle);
+        let actor = UpdateActor::new(store, receiver, index_handle, path);
         tokio::task::spawn_local(actor.run());
         Self { sender }
     }
 
-    pub async fn update(&self, meta: UpdateMeta, payload: Option<File>, uuid: Uuid) -> Result<UpdateStatus> {
+    pub async fn update(&self, meta: UpdateMeta, data: mpsc::Receiver<D>, uuid: Uuid) -> Result<UpdateStatus> {
         let (ret, receiver) = oneshot::channel();
         let msg = UpdateMsg::Update {
             uuid,
-            payload,
+            data,
             meta,
             ret,
         };
diff --git a/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_store.rs b/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_store.rs
index d14f47f05..ae4bfb8d8 100644
--- a/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_store.rs
+++ b/src/index_controller/actor_index_controller/update_store.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-use std::path::Path;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
-use std::io::{Cursor, SeekFrom, Seek, Write};
+use std::fs::remove_file;
 
 use crossbeam_channel::Sender;
-use heed::types::{OwnedType, DecodeIgnore, SerdeJson, ByteSlice};
+use heed::types::{OwnedType, DecodeIgnore, SerdeJson};
 use heed::{EnvOpenOptions, Env, Database};
 use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
 use std::fs::File;
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ type BEU64 = heed::zerocopy::U64<heed::byteorder::BE>;
 pub struct UpdateStore<M, N, E> {
     env: Env,
     pending_meta: Database<OwnedType<BEU64>, SerdeJson<Pending<M>>>,
-    pending: Database<OwnedType<BEU64>, ByteSlice>,
+    pending: Database<OwnedType<BEU64>, SerdeJson<PathBuf>>,
     processed_meta: Database<OwnedType<BEU64>, SerdeJson<Processed<M, N>>>,
     failed_meta: Database<OwnedType<BEU64>, SerdeJson<Failed<M, E>>>,
     aborted_meta: Database<OwnedType<BEU64>, SerdeJson<Aborted<M>>>,
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ where
     pub fn register_update(
         &self,
         meta: M,
-        content: &[u8],
+        content: impl AsRef<Path>,
         index_uuid: Uuid,
     ) -> heed::Result<Pending<M>> {
         let mut wtxn = self.env.write_txn()?;
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ where
 
         let meta = Pending::new(meta, update_id, index_uuid);
         self.pending_meta.put(&mut wtxn, &update_key, &meta)?;
-        self.pending.put(&mut wtxn, &update_key, content)?;
+        self.pending.put(&mut wtxn, &update_key, &content.as_ref().to_owned())?;
 
         wtxn.commit()?;
 
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ where
         // a reader while processing it, not a writer.
         match first_meta {
             Some((first_id, pending)) => {
-                let first_content = self.pending
+                let content_path = self.pending
                     .get(&rtxn, &first_id)?
                     .expect("associated update content");
 
@@ -190,12 +190,7 @@ where
                     .write()
                     .unwrap()
                     .replace(processing.clone());
-                let mut cursor = Cursor::new(first_content);
-                let mut file = tempfile::tempfile()?;
-                let n = std::io::copy(&mut cursor, &mut file)?;
-                println!("copied count: {}", n);
-                file.flush()?;
-                file.seek(SeekFrom::Start(0))?;
+                let file = File::open(&content_path)?;
                 // Process the pending update using the provided user function.
                 let result = handler.handle_update(processing, file);
                 drop(rtxn);
@@ -209,6 +204,7 @@ where
                     .unwrap()
                     .take();
                 self.pending_meta.delete(&mut wtxn, &first_id)?;
+                remove_file(&content_path)?;
                 self.pending.delete(&mut wtxn, &first_id)?;
                 match result {
                     Ok(processed) => self.processed_meta.put(&mut wtxn, &first_id, &processed)?,
diff --git a/src/index_controller/mod.rs b/src/index_controller/mod.rs
index cee276ea0..c3a09b2aa 100644
--- a/src/index_controller/mod.rs
+++ b/src/index_controller/mod.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use milli::Index;
 use milli::update::{IndexDocumentsMethod, UpdateFormat, DocumentAdditionResult};
 use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize, de::Deserializer};
 use uuid::Uuid;
-use tokio::fs::File;
+use actix_web::web::Payload;
 use crate::data::SearchResult;
 use crate::data::SearchQuery;
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ pub trait IndexController {
         index: String,
         method: IndexDocumentsMethod,
         format: UpdateFormat,
-        data: File,
+        data: Payload,
         primary_key: Option<String>,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<UpdateStatus>;