diff --git a/app/models/event.rb b/app/models/event.rb
index 17a198d52c7..3805f6cf857 100644
--- a/app/models/event.rb
+++ b/app/models/event.rb
@@ -52,12 +52,12 @@ class Event < ActiveRecord::Base
   belongs_to :target, -> {
     # If the association for "target" defines an "author" association we want to
     # eager-load this so Banzai & friends don't end up performing N+1 queries to
-    # get the authors of notes, issues, etc.
-    if reflections['events'].active_record.reflect_on_association(:author)
-      includes(:author)
-    else
-      self
+    # get the authors of notes, issues, etc. (likewise for "noteable").
+    incs = %i(author noteable).select do |a|
+      reflections['events'].active_record.reflect_on_association(a)
     end
+
+    incs.reduce(self) { |obj, a| obj.includes(a) }
   }, polymorphic: true # rubocop:disable Cop/PolymorphicAssociations
 
   has_one :push_event_payload
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/ab-43150-users-controller-show-query-limit.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/ab-43150-users-controller-show-query-limit.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..502c1176d2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/ab-43150-users-controller-show-query-limit.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Remove N+1 query for Noteable association.
+merge_request: 17956
+author:
+type: performance