diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl
index defa398a8..13efbe4ea 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl
@@ -95,6 +95,18 @@
     unused = [] :: nil()
 }).
 
+-define(node_patterns(Node), [Node, {'_', Node}]).
+
+-define(UNSUPPORTED, unsupported).
+
+-define(with_fallback(Expr, FallbackExpr),
+    try
+        Expr
+    catch
+        throw:?UNSUPPORTED -> FallbackExpr
+    end
+).
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Mnesia bootstrap
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -293,8 +305,6 @@ pick(Topic) ->
 %% Schema v1
 %% --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
--dialyzer({nowarn_function, [cleanup_routes_v1/1]}).
-
 mria_insert_route_v1(Topic, Dest) ->
     Route = #route{topic = Topic, dest = Dest},
     case emqx_topic:wildcard(Topic) of
@@ -356,10 +366,18 @@ has_route_tab_entry(Topic, Dest) ->
     [] =/= ets:match(?ROUTE_TAB, #route{topic = Topic, dest = Dest}).
 
 cleanup_routes_v1(Node) ->
-    Patterns = [
-        #route{_ = '_', dest = Node},
-        #route{_ = '_', dest = {'_', Node}}
-    ],
+    ?with_fallback(
+        lists:foreach(
+            fun(Pattern) ->
+                throw_unsupported(mria:match_delete(?ROUTE_TAB, make_route_rec_pat(Pattern)))
+            end,
+            ?node_patterns(Node)
+        ),
+        cleanup_routes_v1_fallback(Node)
+    ).
+
+cleanup_routes_v1_fallback(Node) ->
+    Patterns = [make_route_rec_pat(P) || P <- ?node_patterns(Node)],
     mria:transaction(?ROUTE_SHARD, fun() ->
         [
             mnesia:delete_object(?ROUTE_TAB, Route, write)
@@ -435,8 +453,25 @@ has_route_v2(Topic, Dest) ->
     end.
 
 cleanup_routes_v2(Node) ->
-    % NOTE
-    % No point in transaction here because all the operations on filters table are dirty.
+    ?with_fallback(
+        lists:foreach(
+            fun(Pattern) ->
+                _ = throw_unsupported(
+                    mria:match_delete(
+                        ?ROUTE_TAB_FILTERS,
+                        #routeidx{entry = emqx_trie_search:make_pat('_', Pattern)}
+                    )
+                ),
+                throw_unsupported(mria:match_delete(?ROUTE_TAB, make_route_rec_pat(Pattern)))
+            end,
+            ?node_patterns(Node)
+        ),
+        cleanup_routes_v2_fallback(Node)
+    ).
+
+cleanup_routes_v2_fallback(Node) ->
+    %% NOTE
+    %% No point in transaction here because all the operations on filters table are dirty.
     ok = ets:foldl(
         fun(#routeidx{entry = K}, ok) ->
             case get_dest_node(emqx_topic_index:get_id(K)) of
@@ -467,6 +502,19 @@ get_dest_node({_, Node}) ->
 get_dest_node(Node) ->
     Node.
 
+throw_unsupported({error, unsupported_otp_version}) ->
+    throw(?UNSUPPORTED);
+throw_unsupported(Other) ->
+    Other.
+
+%% Make Dialyzer happy
+make_route_rec_pat(DestPattern) ->
+    erlang:make_tuple(
+        record_info(size, route),
+        '_',
+        [{1, route}, {#route.dest, DestPattern}]
+    ).
+
 select_v2(Spec, Limit, undefined) ->
     Stream = mk_route_stream(Spec),
     select_next(Limit, Stream);
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
index c16277884..be72d0e26 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
@@ -35,16 +35,32 @@ all() ->
 groups() ->
     TCs = emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE),
     [
-        {routing_schema_v1, [], TCs},
-        {routing_schema_v2, [], TCs}
+        {routing_schema_v1, [], [
+            {mria_match_delete, [], TCs},
+            {fallback, [], TCs}
+        ]},
+        {routing_schema_v2, [], [
+            {mria_match_delete, [], TCs},
+            {fallback, [], TCs}
+        ]}
     ].
 
+init_per_group(fallback, Config) ->
+    ok = mock_mria_match_delete(),
+    Config;
+init_per_group(mria_match_delete, Config) ->
+    Config;
 init_per_group(GroupName, Config) ->
     WorkDir = filename:join([?config(priv_dir, Config), ?MODULE, GroupName]),
     AppSpecs = [{emqx, mk_config(GroupName)}],
     Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start(AppSpecs, #{work_dir => WorkDir}),
     [{group_name, GroupName}, {group_apps, Apps} | Config].
 
+end_per_group(fallback, _Config) ->
+    unmock_mria_match_delete(),
+    ok;
+end_per_group(mria_match_delete, _Config) ->
+    ok;
 end_per_group(_GroupName, Config) ->
     ok = emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(group_apps, Config)).
 
@@ -59,6 +75,13 @@ mk_config(routing_schema_v2) ->
         override_env => [{boot_modules, [broker]}]
     }.
 
+mock_mria_match_delete() ->
+    ok = meck:new(mria, [no_link, passthrough]),
+    ok = meck:expect(mria, match_delete, fun(_, _) -> {error, unsupported_otp_version} end).
+
+unmock_mria_match_delete() ->
+    ok = meck:unload(mria).
+
 init_per_testcase(_TestCase, Config) ->
     ok = snabbkaffe:start_trace(),
     Config.
diff --git a/changes/ce/perf-12196.en.md b/changes/ce/perf-12196.en.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9c26c79e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ce/perf-12196.en.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Improve network efficiency during routes cleanup.
+
+Previously, when a node node was down, a delete operation for every route to that node must have been exchanged between all other live nodes.
+After this change, only one 'match and delete' operation is exchanged between all live nodes, meaning that much fewer packets are to be sent over inter-cluster network.
+This optimization must be especially helpful for geo-distributed EMQX deployments, when network latency can be significantly high.