diff --git a/src/zm_eventstream.cpp b/src/zm_eventstream.cpp
index ea7d5ace0..60cba061c 100644
--- a/src/zm_eventstream.cpp
+++ b/src/zm_eventstream.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "zm_storage.h"
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
+#include <memory>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 
 #include <filesystem>
@@ -861,23 +862,25 @@ bool EventStream::sendFrame(Microseconds delta_us) {
   // Reusable string member avoids per-frame heap allocations.
   // After the first frame, the string's buffer is reused (unless path exceeds capacity).
   reuse_filepath_.clear();
-  struct stat filestat = {};
+  // exists() with an error_code overload mirrors stat()'s behaviour (treat any
+  // failure as "not present") without throwing or filling an unused struct stat.
+  std::error_code exists_ec;
 
   // This needs to be abstracted.  If we are saving jpgs, then load the capture file.
   // If we are only saving analysis frames, then send that.
   if ((frame_type == FRAME_ANALYSIS) && (event_data->SaveJPEGs & 2)) {
     reuse_filepath_ = stringtf(staticConfig.analyse_file_format.c_str(), event_data->path.c_str(), curr_frame_id);
-    if (stat(reuse_filepath_.c_str(), &filestat) < 0) {
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(reuse_filepath_, exists_ec)) {
       Debug(1, "analyze file %s not found will try to stream from other", reuse_filepath_.c_str());
       reuse_filepath_ = stringtf(staticConfig.capture_file_format.c_str(), event_data->path.c_str(), curr_frame_id);
-      if (stat(reuse_filepath_.c_str(), &filestat) < 0) {
+      if (!std::filesystem::exists(reuse_filepath_, exists_ec)) {
         Debug(1, "capture file %s not found either", reuse_filepath_.c_str());
         reuse_filepath_.clear();
       }
     }
   } else if (event_data->SaveJPEGs & 1) {
     reuse_filepath_ = stringtf(staticConfig.capture_file_format.c_str(), event_data->path.c_str(), curr_frame_id);
-    if (stat(reuse_filepath_.c_str(), &filestat) < 0) {
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(reuse_filepath_, exists_ec)) {
       Debug(1, "Capture file %s not found (bulk/interpolated frame %d), trying ffmpeg_input",
             reuse_filepath_.c_str(), curr_frame_id);
       reuse_filepath_.clear();
@@ -889,9 +892,12 @@ bool EventStream::sendFrame(Microseconds delta_us) {
   }
 
   if ( type == STREAM_MPEG ) {
-    Image image(reuse_filepath_.c_str());
+    // Decode into the reused member rather than a fresh per-frame stack Image;
+    // ReadJpeg reuses its buffer when dimensions match, avoiding a ~2MB
+    // malloc/free each frame.
+    reuse_image_.ReadJpeg(reuse_filepath_, ZM_COLOUR_RGB24, ZM_SUBPIX_ORDER_RGB);
 
-    Image *send_image = prepareImage(&image);
+    Image *send_image = prepareImage(&reuse_image_);
 
     if ( !vid_stream ) {
       vid_stream = new VideoStream("pipe:", format, bitrate, effective_fps,
@@ -919,9 +925,18 @@ bool EventStream::sendFrame(Microseconds delta_us) {
       }
     } else {
       Image *image = nullptr;
+      // Owns the image only on the ffmpeg (mp4) path; the JPEG path decodes into
+      // the reused member, so nothing is freed there. unique_ptr replaces the
+      // old new/delete pair and frees automatically at scope exit.
+      std::unique_ptr<Image> owned_image;
 
       if (!reuse_filepath_.empty()) {
-        image = new Image(reuse_filepath_.c_str());
+        // Decode into the reused member instead of allocating a fresh Image each
+        // frame. ReadJpeg's WriteBuffer reuses the pixel allocation when the
+        // dimensions match (every frame of a given event), eliminating a ~2MB
+        // malloc/free per streamed frame.
+        reuse_image_.ReadJpeg(reuse_filepath_, ZM_COLOUR_RGB24, ZM_SUBPIX_ORDER_RGB);
+        image = &reuse_image_;
       } else if (ffmpeg_input) {
         // Get the frame from the mp4 input
         const FrameData *frame_data = &event_data->frames[curr_frame_id-1];
@@ -929,7 +944,8 @@ bool EventStream::sendFrame(Microseconds delta_us) {
                            ffmpeg_input->get_video_stream_id(),
                            FPSeconds(frame_data->offset).count());
         if (frame) {
-          image = new Image(frame, monitor->Width(), monitor->Height());
+          owned_image = std::make_unique<Image>(frame, monitor->Width(), monitor->Height());
+          image = owned_image.get();
         } else {
           Error("Failed getting a frame.");
 	  sendTextFrame("Failed getting frame");
@@ -998,7 +1014,7 @@ bool EventStream::sendFrame(Microseconds delta_us) {
         break;
       }
       int rc = send_buffer(img_buffer, img_buffer_size);
-      delete image;
+      // owned_image (ffmpeg path) frees here; reuse_image_ persists for next frame
       image = nullptr;
       if (!rc) return false;
     }  // end if send_raw or not
diff --git a/src/zm_eventstream.h b/src/zm_eventstream.h
index a58afbb34..84a79f754 100644
--- a/src/zm_eventstream.h
+++ b/src/zm_eventstream.h
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ class EventStream : public StreamBase {
   Storage *storage;
   FFmpeg_Input  *ffmpeg_input;
   std::string reuse_filepath_;  // reused across sendFrame calls to avoid per-frame heap alloc
+  Image reuse_image_;  // reused JPEG decode target; ReadJpeg reuses its buffer when dimensions match
 };
 
 #endif // ZM_EVENTSTREAM_H