diff --git a/crates/viewer/re_viewport/src/viewport.rs b/crates/viewer/re_viewport/src/viewport.rs
index 2cdc2e8607b9..9e117f93c1ea 100644
--- a/crates/viewer/re_viewport/src/viewport.rs
+++ b/crates/viewer/re_viewport/src/viewport.rs
@@ -74,10 +74,15 @@ impl<'a> Viewport<'a> {
         // If the blueprint tree is empty/missing we need to auto-layout.
         let tree = if blueprint.tree.is_empty() {
             edited = true;
-            super::auto_layout::tree_from_space_views(
+            let auto_tree = super::auto_layout::tree_from_space_views(
                 space_view_class_registry,
                 &blueprint.space_views,
-            )
+            );
+            re_log::trace!(
+                "New auto-tree: {auto_tree:#?} based on {} space_views",
+                blueprint.space_views.len()
+            );
+            auto_tree
         } else {
             blueprint.tree.clone()
         };
@@ -429,6 +434,8 @@ impl<'a> Viewport<'a> {
         if self.tree_edited {
             // TODO(#4687): Be extra careful here. If we mark edited inappropriately we can create an infinite edit loop.
 
+            re_log::trace!("Saving edited tree: {:#?}", self.tree);
+
             // Simplify before we save the tree. Normally additional simplification will
             // happen on the next render loop, but that's too late -- unsimplified
             // changes will be baked into the tree.
diff --git a/crates/viewer/re_viewport_blueprint/src/viewport_blueprint.rs b/crates/viewer/re_viewport_blueprint/src/viewport_blueprint.rs
index 2b6e0e006c0f..ea0716a7543f 100644
--- a/crates/viewer/re_viewport_blueprint/src/viewport_blueprint.rs
+++ b/crates/viewer/re_viewport_blueprint/src/viewport_blueprint.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use ahash::HashMap;
 use egui_tiles::{SimplificationOptions, TileId};
 use nohash_hasher::IntSet;
-use re_types::{Archetype as _, SpaceViewClassIdentifier};
 use smallvec::SmallVec;
 
 use re_chunk_store::LatestAtQuery;
 use re_entity_db::EntityPath;
 use re_types::blueprint::components::ViewerRecommendationHash;
+use re_types::{Archetype as _, SpaceViewClassIdentifier};
 use re_types_blueprint::blueprint::archetypes as blueprint_archetypes;
 use re_types_blueprint::blueprint::components::{
     AutoLayout, AutoSpaceViews, IncludedSpaceView, RootContainer, SpaceViewMaximized,
@@ -91,19 +91,28 @@ impl ViewportBlueprint {
             past_viewer_recommendations: results.component_batch(),
         };
 
-        // This visits all space views that ever has been, which is likely more than exist now.
-        // TODO(emilk): optimize this by starting at the root and only visit reachable space viewa.
-        let all_space_view_ids: Vec<SpaceViewId> = blueprint_db
-            .tree()
-            .children
-            .get(SpaceViewId::registry_part())
-            .map(|tree| {
-                tree.children
-                    .values()
-                    .map(|subtree| SpaceViewId::from_entity_path(&subtree.path))
-                    .collect()
-            })
-            .unwrap_or_default();
+        let root_container = root_container.map(|id| id.0.into());
+
+        let mut containers: BTreeMap<ContainerId, ContainerBlueprint> = Default::default();
+        let mut all_space_view_ids: Vec<SpaceViewId> = Default::default();
+
+        if let Some(root_container) = root_container {
+            re_tracing::profile_scope!("visit_all_containers");
+            let mut container_ids_to_visit = vec![root_container];
+            while let Some(id) = container_ids_to_visit.pop() {
+                if let Some(container) = ContainerBlueprint::try_from_db(blueprint_db, query, id) {
+                    for &content in &container.contents {
+                        match content {
+                            Contents::Container(id) => container_ids_to_visit.push(id),
+                            Contents::SpaceView(id) => {
+                                all_space_view_ids.push(id);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                    containers.insert(id, container);
+                }
+            }
+        }
 
         let space_views: BTreeMap<SpaceViewId, SpaceViewBlueprint> = all_space_view_ids
             .into_iter()
@@ -113,26 +122,6 @@ impl ViewportBlueprint {
             .map(|sv| (sv.id, sv))
             .collect();
 
-        let all_container_ids: Vec<ContainerId> = blueprint_db
-            .tree()
-            .children
-            .get(ContainerId::registry_part())
-            .map(|tree| {
-                tree.children
-                    .values()
-                    .map(|subtree| ContainerId::from_entity_path(&subtree.path))
-                    .collect()
-            })
-            .unwrap_or_default();
-
-        let containers: BTreeMap<ContainerId, ContainerBlueprint> = all_container_ids
-            .into_iter()
-            .filter_map(|id| ContainerBlueprint::try_from_db(blueprint_db, query, id))
-            .map(|c| (c.id, c))
-            .collect();
-
-        let root_container = root_container.map(|id| id.0.into());
-
         // Auto layouting and auto space view are only enabled if no blueprint has been provided by the user.
         // Only enable auto-space-views if this is the app-default blueprint
         let is_app_default_blueprint = blueprint_db
@@ -893,8 +882,10 @@ impl ViewportBlueprint {
             .and_then(|contents| contents.as_container_id())
             .map(|container_id| RootContainer((container_id).into()))
         {
+            re_log::trace!("Saving with a root container");
             ctx.save_blueprint_component(&VIEWPORT_PATH.into(), &root_container);
         } else {
+            re_log::trace!("Saving empty viewport");
             ctx.save_empty_blueprint_component::<RootContainer>(&VIEWPORT_PATH.into());
         }
     }