diff --git a/src/controllers/samples/controller.rs b/src/controllers/samples/controller.rs
index 46d2b80..0614037 100644
--- a/src/controllers/samples/controller.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/samples/controller.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ pub async fn request_put_url(req: HttpRequest, body: web::Json<UploadSampleBody>
     let config = env::Config::new()?;
     let s3 = Client::new(&config.samples_bucket_name).await;
     let name = slug::slugify(body.voice_name.to_string());
-    let count = Voice::count(None).await?;
+    let count = Voice::active_voices_count().await?;
     if count >= 10 {
         return Ok(HttpResponse::BadRequest().json(json!({ "error": "10 voice limit reached" })));
     }
diff --git a/src/controllers/voices/controller.rs b/src/controllers/voices/controller.rs
index 61e3c5d..6a629b4 100644
--- a/src/controllers/voices/controller.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/voices/controller.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub async fn get_voice_by_id(req: HttpRequest, voice_id: web::Path<String>) -> A
 pub async fn delete_voice(req: HttpRequest, voice_id: web::Path<String>) -> ApiResponse {
     authenticate(req).await?;
     let voice = Voice::read_by_id(&voice_id).await?;
-    if voice.status.to_string() != VoiceStatus::Active.to_string() {
+    if voice.status != VoiceStatus::Active {
         return Ok(
             HttpResponse::InternalServerError().json(json!({ "error": "voice is not active" }))
         );
diff --git a/src/models/voice.rs b/src/models/voice.rs
index 48a867a..52ecd24 100644
--- a/src/models/voice.rs
+++ b/src/models/voice.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use mongoose::{
 };
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-#[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, PartialEq)]
 pub enum VoiceStatus {
     Active,
     Draft,
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ pub enum VoiceStatus {
 impl VoiceStatus {
     pub fn to_string(&self) -> String {
         match self {
-            VoiceStatus::Active => "active".to_string(),
-            VoiceStatus::Draft => "draft".to_string(),
-            VoiceStatus::Deleted => "deleted".to_string(),
+            VoiceStatus::Active => "Active".to_string(),
+            VoiceStatus::Draft => "Draft".to_string(),
+            VoiceStatus::Deleted => "Deleted".to_string(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ pub struct Voice {
     #[serde(rename = "_id")]
     pub id: String,
     pub name: String,
-    pub status: String,
+    pub status: VoiceStatus,
     pub description: Option<String>,
     pub eleven_labs_id: Option<String>,
     pub created_at: DateTime,
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ impl Default for Voice {
         Self {
             id: Self::generate_nanoid(),
             name: std::string::String::default(),
-            status: VoiceStatus::Draft.to_string(),
+            status: VoiceStatus::Draft,
             description: None,
             eleven_labs_id: None,
             created_at: DateTime::now(),
@@ -61,7 +61,12 @@ impl Voice {
             IndexModel::builder()
                 .keys(doc! { "eleven_labs_id": 1 })
                 .build(),
+            IndexModel::builder().keys(doc! { "status": 1 }).build(),
         ])
         .await
     }
+
+    pub async fn active_voices_count() -> anyhow::Result<u64> {
+        Ok(Self::count(Some(doc! { "status": VoiceStatus::Active.to_string() })).await?)
+    }
 }