diff --git a/juniper_data/api/routes/datasets.py b/juniper_data/api/routes/datasets.py
index 56eb95a..86e05f5 100644
--- a/juniper_data/api/routes/datasets.py
+++ b/juniper_data/api/routes/datasets.py
@@ -426,8 +426,13 @@ async def batch_update_tags(
     updated: list[str] = []
     not_found: list[str] = []
 
+    # BUG-JD-10 (2026-05-05 audit): ``store.get_meta`` and
+    # ``store.update_meta`` are synchronous filesystem I/O. Offload
+    # each call to a thread so the FastAPI event loop stays
+    # responsive during large batches — same pattern as
+    # ``generator_class.generate`` above.
     for dataset_id in request.dataset_ids:
-        meta = store.get_meta(dataset_id)
+        meta = await asyncio.to_thread(store.get_meta, dataset_id)
         if meta is None:
             not_found.append(dataset_id)
             continue
@@ -436,7 +441,7 @@ async def batch_update_tags(
         current_tags.update(request.add_tags)
         current_tags -= set(request.remove_tags)
         meta.tags = sorted(current_tags)
-        store.update_meta(dataset_id, meta)
+        await asyncio.to_thread(store.update_meta, dataset_id, meta)
         updated.append(dataset_id)
 
     return BatchUpdateTagsResponse(
diff --git a/juniper_data/tests/api/test_batch_operations.py b/juniper_data/tests/api/test_batch_operations.py
index 6725ef1..ed489fe 100644
--- a/juniper_data/tests/api/test_batch_operations.py
+++ b/juniper_data/tests/api/test_batch_operations.py
@@ -350,6 +350,65 @@ def test_empty_dataset_ids_returns_422(self, client: TestClient) -> None:
 
         assert response.status_code == 422
 
+    def test_store_calls_run_off_event_loop(self, client: TestClient, memory_store: InMemoryDatasetStore) -> None:
+        """BUG-JD-10 (2026-05-05 audit): ``store.get_meta`` and
+        ``store.update_meta`` must run off the FastAPI event loop so
+        large batches don't block. Pre-fix they were called
+        synchronously inside the ``async def`` route handler.
+
+        Wraps both methods to record which thread they executed on.
+        ``await asyncio.to_thread(...)`` dispatches to a worker
+        thread — the call should never run on ``asyncio``'s event
+        loop thread.
+        """
+        import threading
+
+        # Seed two real datasets so the store actually has metadata
+        # to read; avoids ``not_found`` short-circuiting the call path.
+        id1 = _create_spiral(client, seed=200, tags=["original"])
+        id2 = _create_spiral(client, seed=201, tags=["original"])
+
+        called_threads: list[str] = []
+        original_get_meta = memory_store.get_meta
+        original_update_meta = memory_store.update_meta
+
+        def recording_get_meta(dataset_id):
+            called_threads.append(f"get:{threading.current_thread().name}")
+            return original_get_meta(dataset_id)
+
+        def recording_update_meta(dataset_id, meta):
+            called_threads.append(f"update:{threading.current_thread().name}")
+            return original_update_meta(dataset_id, meta)
+
+        memory_store.get_meta = recording_get_meta  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+        memory_store.update_meta = recording_update_meta  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+
+        try:
+            response = client.patch(
+                "/v1/datasets/batch-tags",
+                json={"dataset_ids": [id1, id2], "add_tags": ["wrapped-call"]},
+            )
+            assert response.status_code == 200, response.text
+        finally:
+            memory_store.get_meta = original_get_meta  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+            memory_store.update_meta = original_update_meta  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+
+        # Sanity: both methods got called twice (once per dataset id).
+        get_calls = [t for t in called_threads if t.startswith("get:")]
+        update_calls = [t for t in called_threads if t.startswith("update:")]
+        assert len(get_calls) == 2, f"expected 2 get_meta calls, got {get_calls}"
+        assert len(update_calls) == 2, f"expected 2 update_meta calls, got {update_calls}"
+
+        # Each call must have run on a worker thread, not the main
+        # thread. ``asyncio.to_thread`` uses a default executor whose
+        # threads are named ``asyncio_*`` or ``ThreadPoolExecutor-*``;
+        # if any call shows up on the main thread, the wrapping was
+        # lost (the regression that BUG-JD-10 caught).
+        main_thread_name = threading.main_thread().name
+        for tag in called_threads:
+            thread = tag.split(":", 1)[1]
+            assert thread != main_thread_name, f"BUG-JD-10 regression: store call ran on the main thread ({thread!r}), expected an asyncio worker thread. Was the ``await asyncio.to_thread(...)`` wrapping removed from ``batch_update_tags``?"
+
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # POST /v1/datasets/batch-export