diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 591db40a52..2777518722 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ To see all issues & pull requests closed by this release see the
 
 * [#2966](https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/2966): pgr_withPoints does not pick optimal route when fraction = 1
 * [#3034](https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/3034): metrics driver should not be using new
+* [#3010](https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/3010): Performance issue with pgr_separateTouching()
 
 **Code enhancements**
 
diff --git a/doc/src/release_notes.rst b/doc/src/release_notes.rst
index 9104cc6b11..64df174ceb 100644
--- a/doc/src/release_notes.rst
+++ b/doc/src/release_notes.rst
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ To see all issues & pull requests closed by this release see the
 
 * :issue:`2966`: pgr_withPoints does not pick optimal route when fraction = 1
 * :issue:`3034`: metrics driver should not be using new
+* :issue:`3010`: Performance issue with pgr_separateTouching()
 
 .. rubric:: Code enhancements
 
diff --git a/docqueries/utilities/separateTouching.result b/docqueries/utilities/separateTouching.result
index 84da482e7e..0c2c7f5dbe 100644
--- a/docqueries/utilities/separateTouching.result
+++ b/docqueries/utilities/separateTouching.result
@@ -22,15 +22,19 @@ FROM pgr_separateTouching('SELECT id, geom FROM edges', dryrun => true);
 NOTICE:
     WITH
     edges_table AS (
-      SELECT id, geom FROM edges
+      SELECT id, geom,
+             ST_StartPoint(geom) AS startpoint,
+             ST_EndPoint(geom) AS endpoint
+      FROM (SELECT id, geom FROM edges) _edges
     ),
 
     get_touching AS (
-      SELECT e1.id id1, e2.id id2, ST_Snap(e1.geom, e2.geom, 0.01) AS geom, e1.geom AS g1, e2.geom AS g2
+      SELECT e1.id id1, e2.id id2, ST_Snap(e1.geom, e2.geom, 0.01) AS geom, e1.geom AS g1, e2.geom AS g2,
+             e1.startpoint AS sp1, e1.endpoint AS ep1
       FROM edges_table e1, edges_table e2
       WHERE e1.id != e2.id AND ST_DWithin(e1.geom, e2.geom, 0.01) AND NOT(
-        ST_StartPoint(e1.geom) = ST_StartPoint(e2.geom) OR ST_StartPoint(e1.geom) = ST_EndPoint(e2.geom)
-        OR ST_EndPoint(e1.geom) = ST_StartPoint(e2.geom) OR ST_EndPoint(e1.geom) = ST_EndPoint(e2.geom))
+        e1.startpoint = e2.startpoint OR e1.startpoint = e2.endpoint
+        OR e1.endpoint = e2.startpoint OR e1.endpoint = e2.endpoint)
     ),
 
     touchings AS (
@@ -38,8 +42,8 @@ NOTICE:
       FROM get_touching
       WHERE  NOT (geom = g1) OR
          (ST_touches(g1, g2) AND NOT
-            (ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = ST_StartPoint(g1)
-             OR ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = ST_EndPoint(g1)))
+            (ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = sp1
+             OR ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = ep1))
     ),
 
     blades AS (
diff --git a/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/pgrouting_doc_strings.po b/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/pgrouting_doc_strings.po
index 8edb97b173..0e94406305 100644
--- a/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/pgrouting_doc_strings.po
+++ b/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/pgrouting_doc_strings.po
@@ -15064,6 +15064,11 @@ msgid ""
 "driver should not be using new"
 msgstr ""
 
+msgid ""
+"`#3010 <https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/3010>`__: Performance "
+"issue with pgr_separateTouching()"
+msgstr ""
+
 msgid ""
 "`#3044 <https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/3044>`__: Check and "
 "fix assert.hpp for cppcoreguidelines-explicit-virtual-functions"
diff --git a/locale/pot/pgrouting_doc_strings.pot b/locale/pot/pgrouting_doc_strings.pot
index e4721ccc0b..e62286f0b2 100644
--- a/locale/pot/pgrouting_doc_strings.pot
+++ b/locale/pot/pgrouting_doc_strings.pot
@@ -12718,6 +12718,9 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "`#3034 <https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/3034>`__: metrics driver should not be using new"
 msgstr ""
 
+msgid "`#3010 <https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/3010>`__: Performance issue with pgr_separateTouching()"
+msgstr ""
+
 msgid "`#3044 <https://github.com/pgRouting/pgrouting/issues/3044>`__: Check and fix assert.hpp for cppcoreguidelines-explicit-virtual-functions"
 msgstr ""
 
diff --git a/sql/utilities/separateTouching.sql b/sql/utilities/separateTouching.sql
index 32c0ed6e35..7f1c0c7298 100644
--- a/sql/utilities/separateTouching.sql
+++ b/sql/utilities/separateTouching.sql
@@ -59,15 +59,19 @@ BEGIN
   the_query := format($$
     WITH
     edges_table AS (
-      %s
+      SELECT id, geom,
+             ST_StartPoint(geom) AS startpoint,
+             ST_EndPoint(geom) AS endpoint
+      FROM (%s) _edges
     ),
 
     get_touching AS (
-      SELECT e1.id id1, e2.id id2, ST_Snap(e1.geom, e2.geom, %2$s) AS geom, e1.geom AS g1, e2.geom AS g2
+      SELECT e1.id id1, e2.id id2, ST_Snap(e1.geom, e2.geom, %2$s) AS geom, e1.geom AS g1, e2.geom AS g2,
+             e1.startpoint AS sp1, e1.endpoint AS ep1
       FROM edges_table e1, edges_table e2
       WHERE e1.id != e2.id AND ST_DWithin(e1.geom, e2.geom, %2$s) AND NOT(
-        ST_StartPoint(e1.geom) = ST_StartPoint(e2.geom) OR ST_StartPoint(e1.geom) = ST_EndPoint(e2.geom)
-        OR ST_EndPoint(e1.geom) = ST_StartPoint(e2.geom) OR ST_EndPoint(e1.geom) = ST_EndPoint(e2.geom))
+        e1.startpoint = e2.startpoint OR e1.startpoint = e2.endpoint
+        OR e1.endpoint = e2.startpoint OR e1.endpoint = e2.endpoint)
     ),
 
     touchings AS (
@@ -75,8 +79,8 @@ BEGIN
       FROM get_touching
       WHERE  NOT (geom = g1) OR
          (ST_touches(g1, g2) AND NOT
-            (ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = ST_StartPoint(g1)
-             OR ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = ST_EndPoint(g1)))
+            (ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = sp1
+             OR ST_Intersection(geom, g2) = ep1))
     ),
 
     blades AS (