diff --git a/core/src/service/network/transports/sync.rs b/core/src/service/network/transports/sync.rs
index c95acaf86..9a1e53c7e 100644
--- a/core/src/service/network/transports/sync.rs
+++ b/core/src/service/network/transports/sync.rs
@@ -56,31 +56,69 @@ impl NetworkTransport for NetworkingService {
 		let bytes = serde_json::to_vec(&message)
 			.map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to serialize sync message: {}", e))?;
 
-		// 3. Get Iroh endpoint via public getter
+		// 3. Get or create connection (with caching for massive performance improvement)
 		let endpoint = self
 			.endpoint()
 			.ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Network endpoint not initialized"))?;
 
-		// Open a connection and send
-		// Note: Iroh handles connection pooling, so repeated calls are efficient
-		let conn = endpoint.connect(node_id, SYNC_ALPN).await.map_err(|e| {
-			warn!(
+		let active_connections = self.active_connections();
+		let cache_key = (node_id, SYNC_ALPN.to_vec());
+
+		// Check cache first - reuse existing connection if alive
+		let conn = {
+			let connections = active_connections.read().await;
+			if let Some(cached_conn) = connections.get(&cache_key) {
+				if cached_conn.close_reason().is_none() {
+					tracing::debug!(
+						device_uuid = %target_device,
+						"Reusing cached connection (avoids TLS handshake)"
+					);
+					Some(cached_conn.clone())
+				} else {
+					None // Connection closed, need new one
+				}
+			} else {
+				None
+			}
+		};
+
+		// Create new connection only if cache miss
+		let conn = if let Some(conn) = conn {
+			conn
+		} else {
+			tracing::debug!(
 				device_uuid = %target_device,
 				node_id = %node_id,
-				error = %e,
-				"Failed to connect to device for sync"
+				"Creating new connection (cache miss)"
 			);
-			anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to connect to {}: {}", target_device, e)
-		})?;
 
-		// Track outbound connection so we can receive incoming streams on it
-		if let Some(cmd_sender) = self.command_sender() {
-			use crate::service::network::core::event_loop::EventLoopCommand;
-			let _ = cmd_sender.send(EventLoopCommand::TrackOutboundConnection {
-				node_id,
-				conn: conn.clone(),
-			});
-		}
+			let new_conn = endpoint.connect(node_id, SYNC_ALPN).await.map_err(|e| {
+				warn!(
+					device_uuid = %target_device,
+					node_id = %node_id,
+					error = %e,
+					"Failed to connect to device for sync"
+				);
+				anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to connect to {}: {}", target_device, e)
+			})?;
+
+			// Add to cache
+			{
+				let mut connections = active_connections.write().await;
+				connections.insert(cache_key, new_conn.clone());
+			}
+
+			// Track outbound connection so we can receive incoming streams on it
+			if let Some(cmd_sender) = self.command_sender() {
+				use crate::service::network::core::event_loop::EventLoopCommand;
+				let _ = cmd_sender.send(EventLoopCommand::TrackOutboundConnection {
+					node_id,
+					conn: new_conn.clone(),
+				});
+			}
+
+			new_conn
+		};
 
 		// Open a unidirectional stream and send the message
 		let mut send = conn
@@ -149,30 +187,68 @@ impl NetworkTransport for NetworkingService {
 			"Sending sync request"
 		);
 
-		// Get endpoint
+		// Get or create connection (with caching)
 		let endpoint = self
 			.endpoint()
 			.ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Network endpoint not initialized"))?;
 
-		// Connect with SYNC_ALPN
-		let conn = endpoint.connect(node_id, SYNC_ALPN).await.map_err(|e| {
-			warn!(
-				device_uuid = %target_device,
-				node_id = %node_id,
-				error = %e,
-				"Failed to connect to device for sync request"
-			);
-			anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to connect to {}: {}", target_device, e)
-		})?;
+		let active_connections = self.active_connections();
+		let cache_key = (node_id, SYNC_ALPN.to_vec());
 
-		// Track outbound connection so we can receive incoming streams on it
-		if let Some(cmd_sender) = self.command_sender() {
-			use crate::service::network::core::event_loop::EventLoopCommand;
-			let _ = cmd_sender.send(EventLoopCommand::TrackOutboundConnection {
-				node_id,
-				conn: conn.clone(),
-			});
-		}
+		// Check cache first
+		let conn = {
+			let connections = active_connections.read().await;
+			if let Some(cached_conn) = connections.get(&cache_key) {
+				if cached_conn.close_reason().is_none() {
+					tracing::debug!(
+						device_uuid = %target_device,
+						"Reusing cached connection for request"
+					);
+					Some(cached_conn.clone())
+				} else {
+					None
+				}
+			} else {
+				None
+			}
+		};
+
+		// Create if needed
+		let conn = if let Some(conn) = conn {
+			conn
+		} else {
+			tracing::debug!(
+				device_uuid = %target_device,
+				"Creating new connection for request"
+			);
+
+			let new_conn = endpoint.connect(node_id, SYNC_ALPN).await.map_err(|e| {
+				warn!(
+					device_uuid = %target_device,
+					node_id = %node_id,
+					error = %e,
+					"Failed to connect to device for sync request"
+				);
+				anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to connect to {}: {}", target_device, e)
+			})?;
+
+			// Cache it
+			{
+				let mut connections = active_connections.write().await;
+				connections.insert(cache_key, new_conn.clone());
+			}
+
+			// Track it
+			if let Some(cmd_sender) = self.command_sender() {
+				use crate::service::network::core::event_loop::EventLoopCommand;
+				let _ = cmd_sender.send(EventLoopCommand::TrackOutboundConnection {
+					node_id,
+					conn: new_conn.clone(),
+				});
+			}
+
+			new_conn
+		};
 
 		// Open bidirectional stream
 		let (mut send, mut recv) = conn