diff --git a/cmd/server/neighbor_persist.go b/cmd/server/neighbor_persist.go
index 5204147be..ccc6f5d76 100644
--- a/cmd/server/neighbor_persist.go
+++ b/cmd/server/neighbor_persist.go
@@ -132,9 +132,15 @@ func resolvePathForObs(pathJSON, observerID string, tx *StoreTx, pm *prefixMap,
 		contextPKs = append(contextPKs, strings.ToLower(fromNode))
 	}
 	resolved := make([]*string, len(hops))
+	// Reuse a single ctx buffer across hops instead of allocating per hop.
+	// At most one element (the previous hop's resolved PK) is ever appended;
+	// the spare capacity is headroom so that append never reallocates.
+	ctx := make([]string, len(contextPKs), len(contextPKs)+2)
+	copy(ctx, contextPKs)
+	ctxLen := len(ctx)
 	for i, hop := range hops {
-		ctx := make([]string, len(contextPKs), len(contextPKs)+2)
-		copy(ctx, contextPKs)
+		// Reset to base context (trim any previously appended resolved PK)
+		ctx = ctx[:ctxLen]
 		if i > 0 && resolved[i-1] != nil {
 			ctx = append(ctx, *resolved[i-1])
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/server/store.go b/cmd/server/store.go
index dbfb4d14e..b801a36ec 100644
--- a/cmd/server/store.go
+++ b/cmd/server/store.go
@@ -156,12 +156,17 @@ func (tx *StoreTx) ParsedDecoded() map[string]interface{} {
 //     result (hashSizeInfoCache). Acquired independently or
 //     under mu (in EvictStale).
 //
+//  7. estMemMu      (sync.Mutex)  — guards the ReadMemStats result cache
+//     (estMemVal/estMemAt). Strict leaf: no other lock is
+//     acquired while holding it.
+//
 // Nesting that occurs today:
 //   - IngestNew:               mu → cacheMu → channelsCacheMu  (1 → 2 → 3, OK)
 //   - IngestObservations:      mu → cacheMu                    (1 → 2, OK)
 //   - RunEviction/EvictStale:  mu → cacheMu → channelsCacheMu  (1 → 2 → 3, OK)
 //   - RunEviction/EvictStale:  mu → hashSizeInfoMu             (1 → 6, OK)
 //   - invalidateCachesFor:     cacheMu → channelsCacheMu       (2 → 3, OK)
+//   - Load (startup log lines): mu → estMemMu                  (1 → 7, OK)
 //
 // All other locks are acquired independently (no nesting).
 // When adding new lock acquisitions, respect this ordering.
@@ -475,6 +480,13 @@ type PacketStore struct {
 	trackedBytes    int64          // running total of estimated packet store memory
 	memoryEstimator func() float64 // injectable for tests; nil = use runtime.ReadMemStats (stats only)
 
+	// Per-store ReadMemStats cache (5s TTL). Fields (not package-level vars) so
+	// that test helpers constructing &PacketStore{...} directly get independent
+	// cache state, avoiding order-dependent test failures.
+	estMemMu  sync.Mutex
+	estMemVal float64
+	estMemAt  time.Time
+
 	// Short-lived cache for the observations aggregate in GetStoreStats (30s TTL).
 	// Avoids a per-/api/stats full-table scan; values accurate to ~30s which is
 	// sufficient for dashboard display.
@@ -4661,13 +4673,24 @@ func estimateStoreObsBytes(obs *StoreObs) int64 {
 // estimatedMemoryMB returns current Go heap allocation in MB.
 // Kept for stats/debug endpoints only — NOT used in eviction decisions.
 // In tests, memoryEstimator can be set to inject a deterministic value.
+// Caches the result for 5 seconds because runtime.ReadMemStats() stops the
+// world and this is called from stats/debug endpoints that may be polled.
+// The cache is per-store (not package-level) so that test helpers constructing
+// &PacketStore{...} directly get independent cache state, avoiding
+// order-dependent test failures from a shared global cache.
 func (s *PacketStore) estimatedMemoryMB() float64 {
 	if s.memoryEstimator != nil {
 		return s.memoryEstimator()
 	}
-	var ms runtime.MemStats
-	runtime.ReadMemStats(&ms)
-	return float64(ms.HeapAlloc) / 1048576.0
+	s.estMemMu.Lock()
+	defer s.estMemMu.Unlock()
+	if time.Since(s.estMemAt) > 5*time.Second {
+		var ms runtime.MemStats
+		runtime.ReadMemStats(&ms)
+		s.estMemVal = float64(ms.HeapAlloc) / 1048576.0
+		s.estMemAt = time.Now()
+	}
+	return s.estMemVal
 }
 
 // trackedMemoryMB returns the self-accounted packet store memory in MB.