diff --git a/alternator/executor.cc b/alternator/executor.cc
index 85a138232c..3205bc06ff 100644
--- a/alternator/executor.cc
+++ b/alternator/executor.cc
@@ -2369,21 +2369,22 @@ std::optional<rjson::value> executor::describe_single_item(schema_ptr schema,
     return item;
 }
 
-std::vector<rjson::value> executor::describe_multi_item(schema_ptr schema,
-        const query::partition_slice& slice,
-        const cql3::selection::selection& selection,
-        const query::result& query_result,
-        const std::optional<attrs_to_get>& attrs_to_get) {
-    cql3::selection::result_set_builder builder(selection, gc_clock::now());
-    query::result_view::consume(query_result, slice, cql3::selection::result_set_builder::visitor(builder, *schema, selection));
+future<std::vector<rjson::value>> executor::describe_multi_item(schema_ptr schema,
+        const query::partition_slice&& slice,
+        shared_ptr<cql3::selection::selection> selection,
+        foreign_ptr<lw_shared_ptr<query::result>> query_result,
+        shared_ptr<const std::optional<attrs_to_get>> attrs_to_get) {
+    cql3::selection::result_set_builder builder(*selection, gc_clock::now());
+    query::result_view::consume(*query_result, slice, cql3::selection::result_set_builder::visitor(builder, *schema, *selection));
     auto result_set = builder.build();
     std::vector<rjson::value> ret;
     for (auto& result_row : result_set->rows()) {
         rjson::value item = rjson::empty_object();
-        describe_single_item(selection, result_row, attrs_to_get, item);
+        describe_single_item(*selection, result_row, *attrs_to_get, item);
         ret.push_back(std::move(item));
+        co_await coroutine::maybe_yield();
     }
-    return ret;
+    co_return ret;
 }
 
 static bool check_needs_read_before_write(const parsed::value& v) {
@@ -3255,8 +3256,7 @@ future<executor::request_return_type> executor::batch_get_item(client_state& cli
                     service::storage_proxy::coordinator_query_options(executor::default_timeout(), permit, client_state, trace_state)).then(
                     [schema = rs.schema, partition_slice = std::move(partition_slice), selection = std::move(selection), attrs_to_get = rs.attrs_to_get] (service::storage_proxy::coordinator_query_result qr) mutable {
                 utils::get_local_injector().inject("alternator_batch_get_item", [] { throw std::runtime_error("batch_get_item injection"); });
-                std::vector<rjson::value> jsons = describe_multi_item(schema, partition_slice, *selection, *qr.query_result, *attrs_to_get);
-                return make_ready_future<std::vector<rjson::value>>(std::move(jsons));
+                return describe_multi_item(std::move(schema), std::move(partition_slice), std::move(selection), std::move(qr.query_result), std::move(attrs_to_get));
             });
             response_futures.push_back(std::move(f));
         }
diff --git a/alternator/executor.hh b/alternator/executor.hh
index b4c588ba0d..28b5c63b71 100644
--- a/alternator/executor.hh
+++ b/alternator/executor.hh
@@ -222,11 +222,11 @@ public:
         const query::result&,
         const std::optional<attrs_to_get>&);
 
-    static std::vector<rjson::value> describe_multi_item(schema_ptr schema,
-        const query::partition_slice& slice,
-        const cql3::selection::selection& selection,
-        const query::result& query_result,
-        const std::optional<attrs_to_get>& attrs_to_get);
+    static future<std::vector<rjson::value>> describe_multi_item(schema_ptr schema,
+        const query::partition_slice&& slice,
+        shared_ptr<cql3::selection::selection> selection,
+        foreign_ptr<lw_shared_ptr<query::result>> query_result,
+        shared_ptr<const std::optional<attrs_to_get>> attrs_to_get);
 
     static void describe_single_item(const cql3::selection::selection&,
         const std::vector<bytes_opt>&,