diff --git a/src/compression_engine/program.rs b/src/compression_engine/program.rs
index 8d906ae..d36db87 100644
--- a/src/compression_engine/program.rs
+++ b/src/compression_engine/program.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ use std::io::{Read, Write};
 use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process::{Child, Command, Stdio};
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 
 use crate::compression_engine::CompressionEngine;
 
@@ -78,22 +81,52 @@ impl CompressionEngineProgram {
     }
 }
 
+// Cache for program lookup results to avoid redundant filesystem operations
+static PROGRAM_CACHE: Lazy<Mutex<HashMap<String, Option<String>>>> = 
+    Lazy::new(|| Mutex::new(HashMap::new()));
+
 fn get_program_path(program: &str) -> Result<String> {
+    // Check cache first
+    {
+        let cache = PROGRAM_CACHE.lock().unwrap();
+        if let Some(result) = cache.get(program) {
+            return match result {
+                Some(path) => Ok(path.clone()),
+                None => Err(anyhow!("Unable to find binary {} in PATH", program)),
+            };
+        }
+    }
+
     debug!("COMPRESSION: Looking for executable: {}", program);
-    if let Ok(path) = env::var("PATH") {
+    let result = if let Ok(path) = env::var("PATH") {
+        let mut found_path = None;
         for p in path.split(':') {
             let p_str = format!("{}/{}", p, program);
-            let stat = fs::metadata(p_str.clone());
-            if let Ok(stat) = stat {
-                let md = stat;
-                let permissions = md.permissions();
-                if md.is_file() && permissions.mode() & 0o111 != 0 {
-                    return Ok(p_str);
+            if let Ok(stat) = fs::metadata(&p_str) {
+                let permissions = stat.permissions();
+                if stat.is_file() && permissions.mode() & 0o111 != 0 {
+                    found_path = Some(p_str);
+                    break;
                 }
             }
         }
+        found_path
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
+    // Store result in cache
+    let mut cache = PROGRAM_CACHE.lock().unwrap();
+    match &result {
+        Some(path) => {
+            cache.insert(program.to_string(), Some(path.clone()));
+            Ok(path.clone())
+        }
+        None => {
+            cache.insert(program.to_string(), None);
+            Err(anyhow!("Unable to find binary {} in PATH", program))
+        }
     }
-    Err(anyhow!("Unable to find binary {} in PATH", program))
 }
 
 impl CompressionEngine for CompressionEngineProgram {
diff --git a/src/meta_plugin/program.rs b/src/meta_plugin/program.rs
index 19c1cc1..be38488 100644
--- a/src/meta_plugin/program.rs
+++ b/src/meta_plugin/program.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ use std::io;
 use std::io::Write;
 use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
 use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 
 use crate::meta_plugin::MetaPlugin;
 
@@ -132,20 +135,50 @@ impl MetaPlugin for MetaPluginProgram {
 
 }
 
+// Cache for program lookup results to avoid redundant filesystem operations
+static PROGRAM_CACHE: Lazy<Mutex<HashMap<String, Option<String>>>> = 
+    Lazy::new(|| Mutex::new(HashMap::new()));
+
 fn get_program_path(program: &str) -> Result<String> {
+    // Check cache first
+    {
+        let cache = PROGRAM_CACHE.lock().unwrap();
+        if let Some(result) = cache.get(program) {
+            return match result {
+                Some(path) => Ok(path.clone()),
+                None => Err(anyhow!("Unable to find binary {} in PATH", program)),
+            };
+        }
+    }
+
     debug!("META: Looking for executable: {}", program);
-    if let Ok(path) = env::var("PATH") {
+    let result = if let Ok(path) = env::var("PATH") {
+        let mut found_path = None;
         for p in path.split(':') {
             let p_str = format!("{}/{}", p, program);
-            let stat = fs::metadata(p_str.clone());
-            if let Ok(stat) = stat {
-                let md = stat;
-                let permissions = md.permissions();
-                if md.is_file() && permissions.mode() & 0o111 != 0 {
-                    return Ok(p_str);
+            if let Ok(stat) = fs::metadata(&p_str) {
+                let permissions = stat.permissions();
+                if stat.is_file() && permissions.mode() & 0o111 != 0 {
+                    found_path = Some(p_str);
+                    break;
                 }
             }
         }
+        found_path
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
+    // Store result in cache
+    let mut cache = PROGRAM_CACHE.lock().unwrap();
+    match &result {
+        Some(path) => {
+            cache.insert(program.to_string(), Some(path.clone()));
+            Ok(path.clone())
+        }
+        None => {
+            cache.insert(program.to_string(), None);
+            Err(anyhow!("Unable to find binary {} in PATH", program))
+        }
     }
-    Err(anyhow!("Unable to find binary {} in PATH", program))
 }