diff --git a/odoo/fields.py b/odoo/fields.py
index 11ba2836853..ec384c09429 100644
--- a/odoo/fields.py
+++ b/odoo/fields.py
@@ -780,10 +780,10 @@ class Field(MetaField('DummyField', (object,), {})):
 
         column = columns.get(self.name)
 
-        # create/update the column, not null constraint, indexes
+        # create/update the column, not null constraint; the index will be
+        # managed by registry.check_indexes()
         self.update_db_column(model, column)
         self.update_db_notnull(model, column)
-        self.update_db_index(model, column)
 
         return not column
 
@@ -831,22 +831,6 @@ class Field(MetaField('DummyField', (object,), {})):
         elif not self.required and has_notnull:
             sql.drop_not_null(model._cr, model._table, self.name)
 
-    def update_db_index(self, model, column):
-        """ Add or remove the index corresponding to ``self``.
-
-            :param model: an instance of the field's model
-            :param column: the column's configuration (dict) if it exists, or ``None``
-        """
-        indexname = '%s_%s_index' % (model._table, self.name)
-        if self.index:
-            try:
-                with model._cr.savepoint(flush=False):
-                    sql.create_index(model._cr, indexname, model._table, ['"%s"' % self.name])
-            except psycopg2.OperationalError:
-                _schema.error("Unable to add index for %s", self)
-        else:
-            sql.drop_index(model._cr, indexname, model._table)
-
     ############################################################################
     #
     # Read from/write to database
diff --git a/odoo/modules/registry.py b/odoo/modules/registry.py
index 843cc14d97c..9d9833308e4 100644
--- a/odoo/modules/registry.py
+++ b/odoo/modules/registry.py
@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@ import logging
 import os
 import threading
 
+import psycopg2
+
 import odoo
 from .. import SUPERUSER_ID
 from odoo.sql_db import TestCursor
 from odoo.tools import (assertion_report, config, existing_tables, ignore,
-                        lazy_classproperty, lazy_property, OrderedSet)
+                        lazy_classproperty, lazy_property, sql, OrderedSet)
 from odoo.tools.lru import LRU
 
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -375,6 +377,8 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
 
         self._ordinary_tables = None
 
+        self.check_indexes(cr, model_names)
+
         while self._post_init_queue:
             func = self._post_init_queue.popleft()
             func()
@@ -384,6 +388,33 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
         # make sure all tables are present
         self.check_tables_exist(cr)
 
+    def check_indexes(self, cr, model_names):
+        """ Create or drop column indexes for the given models. """
+        expected = [
+            ("%s_%s_index" % (Model._table, field.name), Model._table, field.name, field.index)
+            for model_name in model_names
+            for Model in [self.models[model_name]]
+            if Model._auto and not Model._abstract
+            for field in Model._fields.values()
+            if field.column_type and field.store
+        ]
+        if not expected:
+            return
+
+        cr.execute("SELECT indexname FROM pg_indexes WHERE indexname IN %s",
+                   [tuple(row[0] for row in expected)])
+        existing = {row[0] for row in cr.fetchall()}
+
+        for indexname, tablename, columnname, index in expected:
+            if index and indexname not in existing:
+                try:
+                    with cr.savepoint(flush=False):
+                        sql.create_index(cr, indexname, tablename, ['"%s"' % columnname])
+                except psycopg2.OperationalError:
+                    _schema.error("Unable to add index for %s", self)
+            elif not index and indexname in existing:
+                sql.drop_index(cr, indexname, tablename)
+
     def check_tables_exist(self, cr):
         """
         Verify that all tables are present and try to initialize those that are missing.