diff --git a/priv/emqx.schema b/priv/emqx.schema
index 112469e2b..7b924b4e3 100644
--- a/priv/emqx.schema
+++ b/priv/emqx.schema
@@ -2026,6 +2026,16 @@ end}.
   {datatype, flag}
 ]}.
 
+%% @doc performance toggle for subscribe/unsubscribe wildcard topic
+%%      change this toggle only if you have many wildcard topics.
+%% key:   mnesia translational updates with per-key locks. recommended for single node setup.
+%% tab:   mnesia translational updates with table lock. recommended for multi-nodes setup.
+%% global: global lock protected updates. recommended for larger cluster.
+{mapping, "broker.perf.route_lock_type", "emqx.route_lock_type", [
+  {default, key},
+  {datatype, {enum, [key, tab, global]}}
+]}.
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% System Monitor
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/emqx_router.erl b/src/emqx_router.erl
index 26b5ea444..b77311e62 100644
--- a/src/emqx_router.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_router.erl
@@ -119,11 +119,7 @@ do_add_route(Topic, Dest) when is_binary(Topic) ->
             ok = emqx_router_helper:monitor(Dest),
             case emqx_topic:wildcard(Topic) of
                 true  ->
-                    lock_router(),
-                    try trans(fun insert_trie_route/1, [Route])
-                    after
-                        unlock_router()
-                    end;
+                    maybe_trans(fun insert_trie_route/1, [Route]);
                 false -> insert_direct_route(Route)
             end
     end.
@@ -170,11 +166,7 @@ do_delete_route(Topic, Dest) ->
     Route = #route{topic = Topic, dest = Dest},
     case emqx_topic:wildcard(Topic) of
         true  ->
-            lock_router(),
-            try trans(fun delete_trie_route/1, [Route])
-            after
-                unlock_router()
-            end;
+            maybe_trans(fun delete_trie_route/1, [Route]);
         false -> delete_direct_route(Route)
     end.
 
@@ -257,9 +249,30 @@ delete_trie_route(Route = #route{topic = Topic}) ->
     end.
 
 %% @private
+-spec(maybe_trans(function(), list(any())) -> ok | {error, term()}).
+maybe_trans(Fun, Args) ->
+    case persistent_term:get(emqx_route_lock_type) of
+        key ->
+            trans(Fun, Args);
+        global ->
+            lock_router(),
+            try mnesia:sync_dirty(Fun, Args)
+            after
+                unlock_router()
+            end;
+        tab ->
+            trans(fun() ->
+                          emqx_trie:lock_tables(),
+                          apply(Fun, Args)
+                  end, [])
+    end.
+
 -spec(trans(function(), list(any())) -> ok | {error, term()}).
 trans(Fun, Args) ->
-    mnesia:async_dirty(Fun, Args).
+    case mnesia:transaction(Fun, Args) of
+        {atomic, Ok} -> Ok;
+        {aborted, Reason} -> {error, Reason}
+    end.
 
 lock_router() ->
     %% if Retry is not 0, global:set_lock could sleep a random time up to 8s.
diff --git a/src/emqx_router_sup.erl b/src/emqx_router_sup.erl
index 9060e58bf..9b0b397d4 100644
--- a/src/emqx_router_sup.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_router_sup.erl
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ init([]) ->
                type     => worker,
                modules  => [emqx_router_helper]},
 
+    ok = persistent_term:put(emqx_route_lock_type,
+                             application:get_env(emqx, route_lock_type, key)
+                            ),
+
     %% Router pool
     RouterPool = emqx_pool_sup:spec([router_pool, hash,
                                      {emqx_router, start_link, []}]),
diff --git a/src/emqx_trie.erl b/src/emqx_trie.erl
index 4189c0270..a5c3aa773 100644
--- a/src/emqx_trie.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_trie.erl
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@
         , delete/1
         ]).
 
--export([empty/0]).
+-export([ empty/0
+        , lock_tables/0
+        ]).
 
 -ifdef(TEST).
 -compile(export_all).
@@ -120,6 +122,11 @@ delete(Topic) when is_binary(Topic) ->
 empty() ->
     ets:info(?TRIE_TAB, size) == 0.
 
+-spec lock_tables() -> ok.
+lock_tables() ->
+    mnesia:write_lock_table(?TRIE_TAB),
+    mnesia:write_lock_table(?TRIE_NODE_TAB).
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Internal functions
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------