diff --git a/field_collection.install b/field_collection.install
index d2b1892..a670a23 100644
--- a/field_collection.install
+++ b/field_collection.install
@@ -217,20 +217,69 @@ function field_collection_update_7001() {
 /**
  * Remove orphaned field collection item entities.
  */
-function field_collection_update_7002() {
-  // Loop over all fields and delete any orphaned field collection items.
-  foreach (field_read_fields(array('type' => 'field_collection')) as $field_name => $field) {
+function field_collection_update_7002(&$sandbox) {
+  $limit = drupal_is_cli() ? 500 : 50;
+
+  if (!isset($sandbox['removed'])) {
+    // Found total items to remove.
+    $total = 0;
+    foreach (field_read_fields(array('type' => 'field_collection')) as $field_name => $field) {
+      // Add an index otherwise this takes *hours*.
+      if (!db_index_exists('field_data_' . $field_name, 'idx_value')) {
+        db_add_index('field_data_' . $field_name, 'idx_value', array($field_name.'_value'));
+      }
+      $select = db_select('field_collection_item', 'fci')
+        ->fields('fci', array('item_id'))
+        ->condition('field_name', $field_name)
+        ->condition('archived', 0);
+      $select->leftJoin('field_data_' . $field_name, 'field', "field.{$field_name}_value = fci.item_id ");
+      $select->isNull('field.entity_id');
+
+      $total += $select->execute()->rowCount();
+    }
+
+
+    $sandbox['removed'] = 0;
+    $sandbox['total_to_remove'] = $total;
+  }
+  // Assume that it will be finished right away.
+  $sandbox['#finished'] = TRUE;
 
+  // Loop over all fields and delete any orphaned field collection items.
+  $fields_to_process = field_read_fields(array('type' => 'field_collection'));
+  foreach ($fields_to_process as $field_name => $field) {
     $select = db_select('field_collection_item', 'fci')
       ->fields('fci', array('item_id'))
       ->condition('field_name', $field_name)
       ->condition('archived', 0);
     $select->leftJoin('field_data_' . $field_name, 'field', "field.{$field_name}_value = fci.item_id ");
     $select->isNull('field.entity_id');
-    $ids = $select->execute()->fetchCol(0);
 
-    entity_delete_multiple('field_collection_item', $ids);
-    drupal_set_message(t('Deleted @count orphaned field collection items.', array('@count' => count($ids))));
+    $query = clone $select;
+    $ids = $query->range(0, $limit)->execute()->fetchCol(0);
+
+    if (!empty($ids)) {
+      entity_delete_multiple('field_collection_item', $ids);
+      watchdog('field_collection', 'Deleted @count orphaned field collection items.', array('@count' => count($ids)));
+      $sandbox['removed'] += count($ids);
+
+      // Set progress to FALSE (not finished).
+      // $sandbox['#finished'] = $sandbox['removed'] / $sandbox['total_to_remove'];
+      $sandbox['#finished'] = FALSE;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if ($sandbox['#finished']) {
+    if (drupal_is_cli()) {
+      drupal_set_message(t('Removed @count_removed orphaned field collection item entities in total.', array('@count_removed' => $sandbox['removed'])));
+    }
+    // Remove tempory indexes.
+    foreach ($fields_to_process as $field_name => $field) {
+        // May as well remove the index.
+      if (db_index_exists('field_data_' . $field_name, 'idx_value')) {
+        db_drop_index('field_data_' . $field_name, 'idx_value');
+      }
+    }
   }
 }