diff --git a/backend/app/services/zone_file.py b/backend/app/services/zone_file.py
index 8bc9486..da51edb 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/zone_file.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/zone_file.py
@@ -501,8 +501,9 @@ async def verify_drops_availability(
     Returns:
         dict with stats: checked, available, dropping_soon, taken, errors
     """
-    from sqlalchemy import update
-    from app.services.drop_status_checker import check_drop_status
+    from sqlalchemy import update, bindparam, case
+    from app.services.drop_status_checker import check_drops_batch
+    from app.config import get_settings
     
     logger.info(f"Starting drops status update (max {max_checks} checks)...")
     
@@ -510,16 +511,26 @@ async def verify_drops_availability(
     cutoff = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(hours=24)
     check_cutoff = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(hours=2)  # Re-check every 2 hours
     
+    # Prioritization (fast + predictable):
+    # 1) never checked first
+    # 2) then oldest check first
+    # 3) then unknown status
+    # 4) then shortest domains first
+    unknown_first = case((DroppedDomain.availability_status == "unknown", 0), else_=1)
+    never_checked_first = case((DroppedDomain.last_status_check.is_(None), 0), else_=1)
+
     query = (
         select(DroppedDomain)
         .where(DroppedDomain.dropped_date >= cutoff)
         .where(
-            (DroppedDomain.last_status_check == None) |  # Never checked
-            (DroppedDomain.last_status_check < check_cutoff)  # Not checked recently
+            (DroppedDomain.last_status_check.is_(None))  # Never checked
+            | (DroppedDomain.last_status_check < check_cutoff)  # Not checked recently
         )
         .order_by(
-            DroppedDomain.availability_status.desc(),  # Unknown first
-            DroppedDomain.length.asc()  # Then short domains
+            never_checked_first.asc(),
+            DroppedDomain.last_status_check.asc().nullsfirst(),
+            unknown_first.asc(),
+            DroppedDomain.length.asc(),
         )
         .limit(max_checks)
     )
@@ -535,41 +546,59 @@ async def verify_drops_availability(
     stats = {"available": 0, "dropping_soon": 0, "taken": 0, "unknown": 0}
     errors = 0
     
-    logger.info(f"Checking {len(drops)} dropped domains...")
-    
-    for i, drop in enumerate(drops):
-        full_domain = f"{drop.domain}.{drop.tld}"
-        try:
-            status_result = await check_drop_status(full_domain)
+    logger.info(f"Checking {len(drops)} dropped domains (batch mode)...")
+
+    settings = get_settings()
+    delay = float(getattr(settings, "domain_check_delay_seconds", 0.3) or 0.3)
+    max_concurrent = int(getattr(settings, "domain_check_max_concurrent", 3) or 3)
+
+    # Build (drop_id, domain) tuples for batch checker
+    domain_tuples: list[tuple[int, str]] = [(d.id, f"{d.domain}.{d.tld}") for d in drops]
+
+    # Process in batches to bound memory + keep DB commits reasonable
+    now = datetime.utcnow()
+    for start in range(0, len(domain_tuples), batch_size):
+        batch = domain_tuples[start : start + batch_size]
+        results = await check_drops_batch(
+            batch,
+            delay_between_requests=delay,
+            max_concurrent=max_concurrent,
+        )
+
+        # Prepare bulk updates
+        updates: list[dict] = []
+        for drop_id, status_result in results:
             checked += 1
             stats[status_result.status] = stats.get(status_result.status, 0) + 1
-            
-            # Update in DB
-            await db.execute(
-                update(DroppedDomain)
-                .where(DroppedDomain.id == drop.id)
-                .values(
-                    availability_status=status_result.status,
-                    rdap_status=str(status_result.rdap_status)[:255] if status_result.rdap_status else None,
-                    last_status_check=datetime.utcnow(),
-                    deletion_date=status_result.deletion_date,
-                )
+
+            updates.append(
+                {
+                    "id": drop_id,
+                    "availability_status": status_result.status,
+                    "rdap_status": str(status_result.rdap_status)[:255] if status_result.rdap_status else None,
+                    "last_status_check": now,
+                    "deletion_date": status_result.deletion_date,
+                }
             )
-            
-            # Log progress every 25 domains
-            if (i + 1) % 25 == 0:
-                logger.info(f"Checked {i + 1}/{len(drops)}: {stats}")
-                await db.commit()  # Commit in batches
-            
-            # Rate limit: 200ms between requests (5 req/sec)
-            await asyncio.sleep(0.2)
-                
-        except Exception as e:
-            errors += 1
-            logger.warning(f"Error checking {full_domain}: {e}")
+
+        # Bulk update using executemany
+        stmt = (
+            update(DroppedDomain)
+            .where(DroppedDomain.id == bindparam("id"))
+            .values(
+                availability_status=bindparam("availability_status"),
+                rdap_status=bindparam("rdap_status"),
+                last_status_check=bindparam("last_status_check"),
+                deletion_date=bindparam("deletion_date"),
+            )
+        )
+        await db.execute(stmt, updates)
+        await db.commit()
+
+        logger.info(f"Checked {min(start + batch_size, len(domain_tuples))}/{len(domain_tuples)}: {stats}")
     
     # Final commit
-    await db.commit()
+    # (already committed per batch)
     
     logger.info(
         f"Drops status update complete: "