diff --git a/pillar/application/modules/file_storage.py b/pillar/application/modules/file_storage.py
index 08b37ba9..256dbadf 100644
--- a/pillar/application/modules/file_storage.py
+++ b/pillar/application/modules/file_storage.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import datetime
+import functools
 import logging
 import mimetypes
 import os
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@ import tempfile
 import uuid
 import io
 from hashlib import md5
+import threading
 
 import bson.tz_util
 import eve.utils
@@ -376,12 +378,28 @@ def _generate_all_links(response, now):
     project_id = str(
         response['project']) if 'project' in response else None  # TODO: add project id to all files
     backend = response['backend']
-    response['link'] = generate_link(backend, response['file_path'], project_id)
 
-    variations = response.get('variations')
-    if variations:
-        for variation in variations:
-            variation['link'] = generate_link(backend, variation['file_path'], project_id)
+    def generate_link_for(store_in):
+        log.debug('    generating link for %s', store_in['file_path'])
+        store_in['link'] = generate_link(backend, store_in['file_path'], project_id)
+
+    # Generate links in parallel using the thread pool.
+    # TODO: use asyncio for this, once we're on Python 3.5, to limit the total number
+    # of concurrent threads.
+    threads = []
+    thread = threading.Thread(target=functools.partial(generate_link_for, response))
+    threads.append(thread)
+
+    variations = response.get('variations', ())
+    for variation in variations:
+        thread = threading.Thread(target=functools.partial(generate_link_for, variation))
+        threads.append(thread)
+
+    # Start & wait for all the parallel tasks.
+    for thread in threads:
+        thread.start()
+    for thread in threads:
+        thread.join(120)
 
     # Construct the new expiry datetime.
     validity_secs = current_app.config['FILE_LINK_VALIDITY'][backend]
diff --git a/pillar/application/utils/gcs.py b/pillar/application/utils/gcs.py
index 23b336c7..83e5f074 100644
--- a/pillar/application/utils/gcs.py
+++ b/pillar/application/utils/gcs.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+import functools
 import os
 import time
 import datetime
 import logging
+import threading
 
 from bson import ObjectId
 from gcloud.storage.client import Client
@@ -159,6 +161,8 @@ def update_file_name(node):
     if node['properties'].get('status', '') == 'processing':
         return
 
+    files_collection = current_app.data.driver.db['files']
+
     def _format_name(name, override_ext, size=None, map_type=u''):
         root, _ = os.path.splitext(name)
         size = u'-{}'.format(size) if size else u''
@@ -166,7 +170,6 @@ def update_file_name(node):
         return u'{}{}{}{}'.format(root, size, map_type, override_ext)
 
     def _update_name(file_id, file_props):
-        files_collection = current_app.data.driver.db['files']
         file_doc = files_collection.find_one({'_id': ObjectId(file_id)})
 
         if file_doc is None or file_doc['backend'] != 'gcs':
@@ -193,12 +196,26 @@ def update_file_name(node):
                 continue
             storage.update_name(blob, name)
 
+    # Generate links in parallel using the thread pool.
+    threads = []
+    log.debug('Creating _update_name tasks')
+
     # Currently we search for 'file' and 'files' keys in the object properties.
     # This could become a bit more flexible and realy on a true reference of the
     # file object type from the schema.
     if 'file' in node['properties']:
-        _update_name(node['properties']['file'], {})
+        thread = threading.Thread(target=functools.partial(
+            _update_name, node['properties']['file'], {}))
+        threads.append(thread)
 
     if 'files' in node['properties']:
         for file_props in node['properties']['files']:
-            _update_name(file_props['file'], file_props)
+            thread = threading.Thread(target=functools.partial(
+                _update_name, file_props['file'], file_props))
+            threads.append(thread)
+
+    # Start & wait for all the parallel tasks.
+    for thread in threads:
+        thread.start()
+    for thread in threads:
+        thread.join(120)