diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/database/listing.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/database/listing.rs
index e30e97593..f79920ef9 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/database/listing.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/database/listing.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::fs::create_dir_all;
 use std::path::Path;
-use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::Arc};
+use std::{
+    collections::HashMap,
+    sync::{Arc, Mutex},
+};
 
 use lance::dataset::refs::Ref;
 use lance::dataset::{ReadParams, WriteMode, builder::DatasetBuilder};
@@ -256,6 +259,9 @@ pub struct ListingDatabase {
 
     // Session for object stores and caching
     session: Arc<lance::session::Session>,
+
+    // Cached namespace-backed database for child namespace operations
+    cached_namespace_database: Mutex<Option<Arc<LanceNamespaceDatabase>>>,
 }
 
 impl std::fmt::Display for ListingDatabase {
@@ -399,6 +405,7 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
                     storage_options_provider: None,
                     new_table_config: options.new_table_config,
                     session,
+                    cached_namespace_database: Mutex::new(None),
                 })
             }
             Err(_) => {
@@ -441,6 +448,7 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
             storage_options_provider: None,
             new_table_config,
             session,
+            cached_namespace_database: Mutex::new(None),
         })
     }
 
@@ -498,17 +506,38 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
         Ok(uri)
     }
 
-    async fn namespace_database(&self) -> Result<LanceNamespaceDatabase> {
+    async fn namespace_database(&self) -> Result<Arc<LanceNamespaceDatabase>> {
+        if let Some(db) = self
+            .cached_namespace_database
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner())
+            .clone()
+        {
+            return Ok(db);
+        }
+
         let (ns_impl, ns_properties) = self.namespace_client_config().await?;
-        LanceNamespaceDatabase::connect(
-            &ns_impl,
-            ns_properties,
-            self.storage_options.clone(),
-            self.read_consistency_interval,
-            Some(self.session.clone()),
-            HashSet::new(),
-        )
-        .await
+        let db = Arc::new(
+            LanceNamespaceDatabase::connect(
+                &ns_impl,
+                ns_properties,
+                self.storage_options.clone(),
+                self.read_consistency_interval,
+                Some(self.session.clone()),
+                HashSet::new(),
+            )
+            .await?,
+        );
+
+        let mut cached = self
+            .cached_namespace_database
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+        if let Some(existing) = cached.as_ref() {
+            return Ok(existing.clone());
+        }
+        *cached = Some(db.clone());
+        Ok(db)
     }
 
     async fn drop_tables(&self, names: Vec<String>) -> Result<()> {