diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 8f5a8015dc..8f7598ca22 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 v3.3.9 (xxxx-xx-xx)
 -------------------
 
+* make /_api/index, /_api/database and /_api/user REST handlers use the scheduler's internal
+  queue, so they do not run in an I/O handling thread
+
 * fixed issue #4919: C++ implementation of LIKE function now matches the old and correct
   behaviour of the javascript implementation.
 
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestDatabaseHandler.h b/arangod/RestHandler/RestDatabaseHandler.h
index 6dd8efffd4..60f75d5a9b 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestDatabaseHandler.h
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestDatabaseHandler.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class RestDatabaseHandler : public arangodb::RestVocbaseBaseHandler {
 
  public:
   char const* name() const override final { return "RestDatabaseHandler"; }
-  bool isDirect() const override { return true; }
+  bool isDirect() const override { return false; }
   RestStatus execute() override;
 
  private:
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestIndexHandler.h b/arangod/RestHandler/RestIndexHandler.h
index 8fc000cb35..070413ecf2 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestIndexHandler.h
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestIndexHandler.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class RestIndexHandler : public arangodb::RestVocbaseBaseHandler {
 
  public:
   char const* name() const override final { return "RestIndexHandler"; }
-  bool isDirect() const override { return true; }
+  bool isDirect() const override { return false; }
   RestStatus execute() override;
 
  private:
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestUsersHandler.h b/arangod/RestHandler/RestUsersHandler.h
index 8e2e130105..a166fd2424 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestUsersHandler.h
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestUsersHandler.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class RestUsersHandler : public arangodb::RestBaseHandler {
 
  public:
   virtual char const* name() const override { return "RestUsersHandler"; }
-  bool isDirect() const override { return true; }
+  bool isDirect() const override { return false; }
   RestStatus execute() override;
 
  private:
diff --git a/arangod/Scheduler/JobGuard.h b/arangod/Scheduler/JobGuard.h
index c423e577a1..fae68c1f59 100644
--- a/arangod/Scheduler/JobGuard.h
+++ b/arangod/Scheduler/JobGuard.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ class JobGuard : public SameThreadAsserter {
     if (_isWorkingFlag) {
       _isWorkingFlag = false;
 
+      TRI_ASSERT(_isWorking > 0);
       if (0 == --_isWorking) {
         // if this is the last JobGuard we inform the
         // scheduler that the thread is back to idle
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ class JobGuard : public SameThreadAsserter {
     if (_isBlockedFlag) {
       _isBlockedFlag = false;
 
+      TRI_ASSERT(_isBlocked > 0);
       if (0 == --_isBlocked) {
         // if this is the last JobGuard we inform the
         // scheduler that the thread is now unblocked