diff --git a/config/main-sync-fs-baseline.txt b/config/main-sync-fs-baseline.txt
index ed9feeb4b41..697cc84efe0 100644
--- a/config/main-sync-fs-baseline.txt
+++ b/config/main-sync-fs-baseline.txt
@@ -373,8 +373,9 @@
 2 src/main/orcad/orcad-wsl-host-claude-profile-refresh.ts
 1 src/main/orcad/serve-profile-ssh-targets.ts
 6 src/main/persistence/atomic-snapshot-writer.ts
-6 src/main/persistence/loading-store/user-data-path.ts
-3 src/main/persistence/loading-store/write-flush-barriers.ts
+1 src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-sidecar.ts
+1 src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-startup-read.ts
+5 src/main/persistence/loading-store/user-data-path.ts
 9 src/main/persistence/migrating-orcad-catalog/migration-journal-directory.ts
 4 src/main/persistence/migrating-orcad-catalog/orcad-migration-blob-installers.ts
 3 src/main/persistence/migrating-orcad-catalog/orcad-migration-blob-staging.ts
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-database.test.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-database.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..50d130bc061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-database.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+import {
+  existsSync,
+  mkdtempSync,
+  openSync,
+  closeSync,
+  rmSync,
+  writeSync,
+  writeFileSync
+} from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import SyncDatabase from '../../sqlite/sync-database'
+import { getGithubCacheDatabaseFile, writeGitHubCacheDatabase } from './github-cache-database'
+import { readGitHubCacheDatabase } from './github-cache-startup-read'
+
+const directories: string[] = []
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  for (const directory of directories.splice(0)) {
+    rmSync(directory, { recursive: true, force: true })
+  }
+})
+
+function profileDataFile(): string {
+  const directory = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'orca-github-cache-'))
+  directories.push(directory)
+  return join(directory, 'orca-data.json')
+}
+
+const pr = (fetchedAt: number) => ({ data: null, fetchedAt })
+const sidecarPath = (dataFile: string) => join(dataFile, '..', 'orca-github-cache.json')
+const save = (dataFile: string, cache: Parameters<typeof writeGitHubCacheDatabase>[1]): void => {
+  void writeGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile, cache, { busyTimeoutMs: 0, importedLegacyFileHash: null })
+}
+
+describe('github cache database', () => {
+  it('reads back saved entries, including removals', () => {
+    const dataFile = profileDataFile()
+    save(dataFile, { pr: { 'o/r#1': pr(1), 'o/r#2': pr(2) }, issue: {} })
+    save(dataFile, { pr: { 'o/r#2': pr(3) }, issue: { 'o/r#9': pr(4) } })
+
+    expect(readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile)).toEqual({
+      cache: { pr: { 'o/r#2': pr(3) }, issue: { 'o/r#9': pr(4) } },
+      fromSidecar: false,
+      sidecarHash: null
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('keeps an older build sidecar until its imported rows commit', async () => {
+    const dataFile = profileDataFile()
+    save(dataFile, { pr: { 'o/r#1': pr(1) }, issue: {} })
+    writeFileSync(sidecarPath(dataFile), JSON.stringify({ pr: { 'o/r#5': pr(5) }, issue: {} }))
+    const legacy = readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile)
+    expect(legacy.cache).toEqual({ pr: { 'o/r#5': pr(5) }, issue: {} })
+
+    const locker = new SyncDatabase(getGithubCacheDatabaseFile(dataFile))
+    locker.exec('BEGIN IMMEDIATE')
+    const options = { busyTimeoutMs: 0, importedLegacyFileHash: legacy.sidecarHash }
+    expect(() => writeGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile, legacy.cache!, options)).toThrow(/locked/)
+    expect(existsSync(sidecarPath(dataFile))).toBe(true)
+    locker.exec('ROLLBACK')
+    locker.close()
+
+    await writeGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile, legacy.cache!, options)
+    expect(existsSync(sidecarPath(dataFile))).toBe(false)
+    expect(readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile)).toEqual({
+      cache: { pr: { 'o/r#5': pr(5) }, issue: {} },
+      fromSidecar: false,
+      sidecarHash: null
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('never lets an already imported sidecar shadow later saves, even while locked', async () => {
+    const dataFile = profileDataFile()
+    const sidecar = JSON.stringify({ pr: { 'o/r#5': pr(5) }, issue: {} })
+    writeFileSync(sidecarPath(dataFile), sidecar)
+    const legacy = readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile)
+    await writeGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile, legacy.cache!, {
+      busyTimeoutMs: 0,
+      importedLegacyFileHash: legacy.sidecarHash
+    })
+    // The same imported file survives, as when its deletion failed.
+    writeFileSync(sidecarPath(dataFile), sidecar)
+    save(dataFile, { pr: { 'o/r#6': pr(6) }, issue: {} })
+    const locker = new SyncDatabase(getGithubCacheDatabaseFile(dataFile))
+    locker.exec('BEGIN IMMEDIATE')
+    try {
+      expect(readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile).cache).toEqual({ pr: { 'o/r#6': pr(6) }, issue: {} })
+    } finally {
+      locker.exec('ROLLBACK')
+      locker.close()
+    }
+  })
+
+  it('rebuilds a database whose entry rows are corrupt and saves again', () => {
+    const dataFile = profileDataFile()
+    save(dataFile, { pr: { 'o/r#1': pr(1) }, issue: {} })
+    const path = getGithubCacheDatabaseFile(dataFile)
+    const db = new SyncDatabase(path)
+    const root = db.prepare(`SELECT rootpage FROM sqlite_master WHERE name = 'entries'`).get()
+    const pageSize = db.pragma('page_size', { simple: true })
+    db.close()
+    const fd = openSync(path, 'r+')
+    writeSync(
+      fd,
+      Buffer.from([0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff]),
+      0,
+      4,
+      (Number(root?.rootpage) - 1) * Number(pageSize)
+    )
+    closeSync(fd)
+
+    save(dataFile, { pr: { 'o/r#2': pr(2) }, issue: {} })
+    expect(readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile).cache).toEqual({ pr: { 'o/r#2': pr(2) }, issue: {} })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-database.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-database.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..711008ceb60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-database.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+import type { PersistedState } from '../../../shared/persisted-state-types'
+import type SyncDatabase from '../../sqlite/sync-database'
+import {
+  isUnusableDatabaseError,
+  openVersionedCacheDatabase,
+  removeVersionedCacheDatabase
+} from '../../sqlite/versioned-cache-database'
+import { retireGitHubCacheSidecar, sha256 } from './github-cache-sidecar'
+
+type GitHubCache = PersistedState['githubCache']
+type GitHubCacheKind = keyof GitHubCache
+
+/**
+ * Next-launch copy of the PR/issue caches, one row per entry. A save rewrites only entries
+ * whose content changed; the JSON sidecar it replaces was rewritten whole on every flush.
+ * Disposable: a corrupt or mismatched database rebuilds empty and the next poll refills it.
+ */
+const SCHEMA_SQL = `
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS meta(key TEXT PRIMARY KEY, value TEXT NOT NULL);
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS entries(
+  kind TEXT NOT NULL,
+  key TEXT NOT NULL,
+  hash TEXT NOT NULL,
+  payload TEXT NOT NULL,
+  PRIMARY KEY(kind, key)
+) WITHOUT ROWID;
+`
+
+/** Main-thread callers never wait out another writer's lock; they retry later instead. */
+export const GITHUB_CACHE_ROUTINE_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS = 25
+/** Quit and explicit barriers may wait briefly so a transient lock does not drop the save. */
+export const GITHUB_CACHE_BARRIER_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS = 500
+
+export const GITHUB_CACHE_SCHEMA_VERSION = 1
+
+const KINDS: readonly GitHubCacheKind[] = ['pr', 'issue']
+
+export function getGithubCacheDatabaseFile(dataFile: string): string {
+  return join(dirname(dataFile), 'orca-github-cache.db')
+}
+
+export const IMPORTED_SIDECAR_KEY = 'imported_sidecar_sha256'
+
+/**
+ * Save the cache, writing only rows whose content changed. `importedLegacyFileHash` names the
+ * sidecar whose content `cache` already holds (imported or superseded): the commit records it,
+ * then the returned promise removes the sidecar if it is still that file. If removal never
+ * happens (quit, failure), the recorded fingerprint keeps it from shadowing these rows.
+ * Throws synchronously on a failed commit, including SQLITE_BUSY.
+ */
+export function writeGitHubCacheDatabase(
+  dataFile: string,
+  cache: GitHubCache,
+  options: { busyTimeoutMs: number; importedLegacyFileHash: string | null }
+): Promise<void> {
+  const path = getGithubCacheDatabaseFile(dataFile)
+  const imported = options.importedLegacyFileHash
+  withCacheDatabase(path, options.busyTimeoutMs, (db) => writeEntries(db, cache, imported))
+  return imported === null ? Promise.resolve() : retireGitHubCacheSidecar(dataFile, imported)
+}
+
+export function isGitHubCacheBusyError(error: unknown): boolean {
+  const code = error instanceof Error && 'code' in error ? String(error.code) : ''
+  const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : ''
+  return /SQLITE_BUSY|SQLITE_LOCKED/.test(code) || /database (is|table is) locked/i.test(message)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Open, run, close: no handle outlives a call (profile moves, Windows). Corruption found
+ * anywhere, including in the rows, rebuilds the database once; lock and permission errors
+ * propagate unchanged so the caller retries later.
+ */
+function withCacheDatabase<T>(
+  path: string,
+  busyTimeoutMs: number,
+  run: (db: SyncDatabase) => T
+): T {
+  // Fail-fast removal: a rebuild blocked by a held file throws to the caller's retry.
+  const schema = {
+    version: GITHUB_CACHE_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+    sql: SCHEMA_SQL,
+    busyTimeoutMs,
+    removal: 'fail-fast' as const
+  }
+  for (let attempt = 0; ; attempt++) {
+    let db: SyncDatabase | null = null
+    try {
+      db = openVersionedCacheDatabase(path, schema)
+      return run(db)
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (attempt > 0 || !isUnusableDatabaseError(error)) {
+        throw error
+      }
+      db?.close()
+      db = null
+      removeVersionedCacheDatabase(path, 'fail-fast')
+    } finally {
+      db?.close()
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export function readGitHubCacheEntries(db: SyncDatabase): GitHubCache {
+  const cache: GitHubCache = { pr: {}, issue: {} }
+  for (const row of db.prepare('SELECT kind, key, payload FROM entries').all()) {
+    const kind = KINDS.find((candidate) => candidate === row.kind)
+    if (!kind || typeof row.key !== 'string' || typeof row.payload !== 'string') {
+      continue
+    }
+    try {
+      Object.assign(cache[kind], { [row.key]: JSON.parse(row.payload) })
+    } catch {
+      // An unreadable row is dropped; the next save rewrites or deletes it.
+    }
+  }
+  return cache
+}
+
+function writeEntries(db: SyncDatabase, cache: GitHubCache, importedSidecar: string | null): void {
+  const upsert = db.prepare(
+    `INSERT INTO entries(kind, key, hash, payload) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)
+     ON CONFLICT(kind, key) DO UPDATE SET hash = excluded.hash, payload = excluded.payload`
+  )
+  const remove = db.prepare('DELETE FROM entries WHERE kind = ? AND key = ?')
+  db.exec('BEGIN IMMEDIATE')
+  try {
+    // Read the baseline under the write lock, so another writer's commit cannot leave it stale.
+    const stored = new Map<string, string>()
+    for (const row of db.prepare('SELECT kind, key, hash FROM entries').all()) {
+      if (typeof row.kind === 'string' && typeof row.key === 'string') {
+        stored.set(rowId(row.kind, row.key), String(row.hash))
+      }
+    }
+    for (const kind of KINDS) {
+      for (const [key, entry] of Object.entries(cache[kind] ?? {})) {
+        const payload = JSON.stringify(entry)
+        if (payload === undefined) {
+          continue
+        }
+        const id = rowId(kind, key)
+        const hash = sha256(payload)
+        if (stored.get(id) !== hash) {
+          upsert.run(kind, key, hash, payload)
+        }
+        stored.delete(id)
+      }
+    }
+    for (const id of stored.keys()) {
+      const [kind, key] = id.split('\u0000', 2)
+      remove.run(kind, key)
+    }
+    if (importedSidecar !== null) {
+      db.prepare('INSERT OR REPLACE INTO meta(key, value) VALUES (?, ?)').run(
+        IMPORTED_SIDECAR_KEY,
+        importedSidecar
+      )
+    }
+    db.exec('COMMIT')
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (db.isTransaction) {
+      db.exec('ROLLBACK')
+    }
+    throw error
+  }
+}
+
+function rowId(kind: string, key: string): string {
+  return `${kind}\u0000${key}`
+}
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-persistence.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-persistence.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b0487845315
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-persistence.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+import type { StoreRuntimeState } from './store-runtime-state'
+import {
+  GITHUB_CACHE_BARRIER_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS,
+  GITHUB_CACHE_ROUTINE_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS,
+  isGitHubCacheBusyError,
+  writeGitHubCacheDatabase
+} from './github-cache-database'
+
+type GitHubCachePersistenceRuntime = Pick<
+  StoreRuntimeState,
+  | 'dataFile'
+  | 'githubCacheDirty'
+  | 'githubCacheLegacyFileHash'
+  | 'githubCachePersistedAt'
+  | 'githubCachePersistTimer'
+  | 'githubCacheRetryDelayMs'
+  | 'profileMaintenancePending'
+  | 'quitFlushStarted'
+  | 'state'
+  | 'writesFrozen'
+>
+
+/**
+ * The cache only seeds next launch's sidebar before the first poll, so routine saves wait this
+ * long; quit and explicit flush barriers save at once. A crash loses at most this much churn,
+ * which the next poll refetches.
+ */
+const GITHUB_CACHE_PERSIST_INTERVAL_MS = 3 * 60_000
+const GITHUB_CACHE_FIRST_RETRY_MS = 5_000
+
+/**
+ * `routine` saves wait for the interval (or a pending retry) and never run while maintenance,
+ * finalization or a freeze owns the profile. `barrier` is an admitted maintenance or final flush:
+ * it saves now. Barriers are best-effort for this disposable cache: a failure (such as another
+ * writer's lock) is logged and retried later rather than failing quit or a profile switch, and
+ * the cost is stale sidebar facts until the first poll after restart.
+ */
+export function persistGithubCache(
+  runtime: GitHubCachePersistenceRuntime,
+  mode: 'routine' | 'barrier'
+): void {
+  if (!runtime.githubCacheDirty) {
+    return
+  }
+  if (mode === 'barrier') {
+    writeGithubCacheNow(runtime, true)
+    return
+  }
+  // An armed timer is the next save: the interval or a busy retry's backoff.
+  if (isFenced(runtime) || runtime.githubCachePersistTimer !== null) {
+    return
+  }
+  const remaining = runtime.githubCachePersistedAt + GITHUB_CACHE_PERSIST_INTERVAL_MS - Date.now()
+  if (remaining <= 0) {
+    writeGithubCacheNow(runtime, false)
+  } else {
+    armGithubCacheTimer(runtime, remaining, 'interval')
+  }
+}
+
+/** Maintenance, freeze or quit owns the profile; resume (if any) rearms through persistGithubCache. */
+export function suspendGithubCachePersistence(runtime: GitHubCachePersistenceRuntime): void {
+  if (runtime.githubCachePersistTimer !== null) {
+    clearTimeout(runtime.githubCachePersistTimer)
+    runtime.githubCachePersistTimer = null
+  }
+}
+
+/** `retry` saves at its own backoff deadline; `interval` re-applies the routine cadence. */
+function armGithubCacheTimer(
+  runtime: GitHubCachePersistenceRuntime,
+  delayMs: number,
+  kind: 'interval' | 'retry'
+): void {
+  runtime.githubCachePersistTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+    runtime.githubCachePersistTimer = null
+    if (kind === 'interval') {
+      persistGithubCache(runtime, 'routine')
+    } else if (runtime.githubCacheDirty && !isFenced(runtime)) {
+      writeGithubCacheNow(runtime, false)
+    }
+  }, delayMs)
+  runtime.githubCachePersistTimer.unref?.()
+}
+
+function isFenced(runtime: GitHubCachePersistenceRuntime): boolean {
+  return runtime.writesFrozen || runtime.profileMaintenancePending || runtime.quitFlushStarted
+}
+
+function writeGithubCacheNow(runtime: GitHubCachePersistenceRuntime, barrier: boolean): void {
+  suspendGithubCachePersistence(runtime)
+  try {
+    // Synchronous: no later mutation can interleave, so the cache is clean once this returns.
+    const retired = writeGitHubCacheDatabase(runtime.dataFile, runtime.state.githubCache, {
+      busyTimeoutMs: barrier
+        ? GITHUB_CACHE_BARRIER_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS
+        : GITHUB_CACHE_ROUTINE_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS,
+      importedLegacyFileHash: runtime.githubCacheLegacyFileHash
+    })
+    // A sidecar left behind is harmless: the committed fingerprint retires it next launch.
+    void retired.catch(() => {})
+    runtime.githubCacheDirty = false
+    runtime.githubCacheLegacyFileHash = null
+    runtime.githubCachePersistedAt = Date.now()
+    runtime.githubCacheRetryDelayMs = 0
+  } catch (error) {
+    // Another connection holds the lock (or the disk refused): back off rather than block.
+    const delay = Math.min(
+      Math.max(GITHUB_CACHE_FIRST_RETRY_MS, runtime.githubCacheRetryDelayMs * 2),
+      GITHUB_CACHE_PERSIST_INTERVAL_MS
+    )
+    runtime.githubCacheRetryDelayMs = delay
+    armGithubCacheTimer(runtime, delay, 'retry')
+    if (!isGitHubCacheBusyError(error)) {
+      console.warn('[persistence] Failed to write github cache snapshot:', error)
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-sidecar.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-sidecar.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..52024c94df0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-sidecar.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import { createHash } from 'node:crypto'
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { readFile, rm } from 'node:fs/promises'
+import type { PersistedState } from '../../../shared/persisted-state-types'
+import { getGithubCacheFile } from './user-data-path'
+
+type GitHubCache = PersistedState['githubCache']
+
+export function sha256(content: string | Buffer): string {
+  return createHash('sha256').update(content).digest('hex')
+}
+
+/**
+ * The JSON sidecar older builds write, parsed and fingerprinted from one read of its bytes, so a
+ * concurrent replacement can never pair one file's content with another's fingerprint.
+ * Missing or unparsable sidecars read as null, as they always have.
+ */
+export function readGitHubCacheSidecar(dataFile: string): GitHubCacheSidecar | null {
+  let bytes: Buffer
+  try {
+    // One-shot: the synchronous profile load reads this once at startup.
+    bytes = readFileSync(getGithubCacheFile(dataFile))
+  } catch {
+    return null
+  }
+  return parseGitHubCacheSidecar(bytes)
+}
+
+/** Remove the sidecar off the save path, only if it is still the file the rows superseded. */
+export async function retireGitHubCacheSidecar(dataFile: string, hash: string): Promise<void> {
+  const path = getGithubCacheFile(dataFile)
+  const bytes = await readFile(path).catch(() => null)
+  if (bytes && parseGitHubCacheSidecar(bytes)?.hash === hash) {
+    await rm(path, { force: true })
+  }
+}
+
+type GitHubCacheSidecar = { cache: GitHubCache; hash: string }
+
+function parseGitHubCacheSidecar(bytes: Buffer): GitHubCacheSidecar | null {
+  let parsed: unknown
+  try {
+    parsed = JSON.parse(bytes.toString('utf-8'))
+  } catch {
+    return null
+  }
+  if (!isRecord(parsed) || !isRecord(parsed.pr) || !isRecord(parsed.issue)) {
+    return null
+  }
+  // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: same shape check the sidecar reader always applied; entries stay opaque cache payloads.
+  return { cache: parsed as GitHubCache, hash: sha256(bytes) }
+}
+
+function isRecord(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
+  return typeof value === 'object' && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value)
+}
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-startup-read.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-startup-read.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8374d930576
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/github-cache-startup-read.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
+import type { PersistedState } from '../../../shared/persisted-state-types'
+import SyncDatabase from '../../sqlite/sync-database'
+import {
+  isUnusableDatabaseError,
+  removeVersionedCacheDatabase
+} from '../../sqlite/versioned-cache-database'
+import {
+  GITHUB_CACHE_ROUTINE_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS,
+  GITHUB_CACHE_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+  getGithubCacheDatabaseFile,
+  IMPORTED_SIDECAR_KEY,
+  readGitHubCacheEntries
+} from './github-cache-database'
+import { readGitHubCacheSidecar } from './github-cache-sidecar'
+
+type GitHubCache = PersistedState['githubCache']
+
+export type StoredGitHubCache = {
+  /** What to hydrate, or null when nothing can be hydrated now. */
+  cache: GitHubCache | null
+  /** `cache` came from an older build's sidecar, so it must be saved as rows. */
+  fromSidecar: boolean
+  /** Fingerprint of a sidecar to retire once rows that supersede it commit. */
+  sidecarHash: string | null
+}
+
+type SavedRows =
+  | { kind: 'rows'; cache: GitHubCache; importedSidecar: string | null }
+  | { kind: 'empty' }
+  /** Rows exist but cannot be read now, usually another connection's lock. */
+  | { kind: 'unavailable' }
+
+/**
+ * Startup read. An older build's sidecar is newer than the rows unless the rows record having
+ * imported exactly its bytes; while the rows cannot be read, that is unknown, so the sidecar is
+ * neither hydrated nor allowed to replace rows (the first commit supersedes it instead).
+ */
+export function readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile: string): StoredGitHubCache {
+  const sidecar = readGitHubCacheSidecar(dataFile)
+  const saved = readSavedRows(getGithubCacheDatabaseFile(dataFile))
+  if (sidecar && saved.kind !== 'unavailable') {
+    if (saved.kind === 'empty' || saved.importedSidecar !== sidecar.hash) {
+      return { cache: sidecar.cache, fromSidecar: true, sidecarHash: sidecar.hash }
+    }
+  }
+  const rows = saved.kind === 'rows' ? saved.cache : null
+  const hasRows = rows !== null && Object.keys(rows.pr).length + Object.keys(rows.issue).length > 0
+  return { cache: hasRows ? rows : null, fromSidecar: false, sidecarHash: sidecar?.hash ?? null }
+}
+
+/** One read-only snapshot: no write lock, so another writer cannot block or fail startup. */
+function readSavedRows(path: string): SavedRows {
+  // One-shot: the synchronous profile load reads this once at startup.
+  if (!existsSync(path)) {
+    return { kind: 'empty' }
+  }
+  let db: SyncDatabase | null = null
+  try {
+    db = new SyncDatabase(path, { readonly: true, fileMustExist: true })
+    db.pragma(`busy_timeout = ${GITHUB_CACHE_ROUTINE_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS}`)
+    db.exec('BEGIN')
+    try {
+      const tables = db
+        .prepare(
+          "SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type = 'table' AND name IN ('meta', 'entries')"
+        )
+        .all()
+      const version =
+        tables.length === 2
+          ? db.prepare("SELECT value FROM meta WHERE key = 'schema_version'").get()
+          : undefined
+      if (version?.value !== String(GITHUB_CACHE_SCHEMA_VERSION)) {
+        // Another schema rebuilds empty at the next save, as a mismatched cache always has.
+        return { kind: 'empty' }
+      }
+      const marker = db.prepare('SELECT value FROM meta WHERE key = ?').get(IMPORTED_SIDECAR_KEY)
+      return {
+        kind: 'rows',
+        cache: readGitHubCacheEntries(db),
+        importedSidecar: typeof marker?.value === 'string' ? marker.value : null
+      }
+    } finally {
+      if (db.isTransaction) {
+        db.exec('COMMIT')
+      }
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (!isUnusableDatabaseError(error)) {
+      return { kind: 'unavailable' }
+    }
+    db?.close()
+    db = null
+    // Damaged rows hold nothing recoverable; the next save rebuilds the cache.
+    removeVersionedCacheDatabase(path, 'fail-fast')
+    return { kind: 'empty' }
+  } finally {
+    db?.close()
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/loaded-state-parsing.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/loaded-state-parsing.ts
index f5225f4134b..9bfe817f6d7 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/loaded-state-parsing.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/loaded-state-parsing.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import {
   isLegacyOpenCodeSessionCookie,
   isLegacySshPtyOwnerLease
 } from '../leasing-ssh-ptys/secret-validation'
-import { readGithubCacheSnapshot } from './user-data-path'
+import { readGitHubCacheDatabase } from './github-cache-startup-read'
 import { retainLegacyOpenCodeGoApiKey } from './legacy-opencode-go-api-key-migration'
 import {
   gcStaleWorktreeMeta,
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ type LoadedStateParsingOperationsRuntime = Pick<
   StoreRuntimeState,
   | 'dataFile'
   | 'githubCacheDirty'
+  | 'githubCacheLegacyFileHash'
   | 'loadNeedsSave'
   | 'originalExperimentalNativeChat'
   | 'protectedSecrets'
@@ -287,18 +288,25 @@ export class LoadedStateParsingOperations {
       chatUiLaunchTipAudience: audience
     }
 
-    // Legacy inline caches seed the session, then move to the cache sidecar.
+    // Cache precedence, resolved once: an inline legacy cache, else an older build's sidecar,
+    // else the saved rows. Whatever wins is saved as rows, which retires any sidecar it supersedes.
     const legacyCache = migrated.githubCache
     const hasLegacyCache =
       Object.keys(legacyCache?.pr ?? {}).length > 0 ||
       Object.keys(legacyCache?.issue ?? {}).length > 0
+    const stored = readStoredGitHubCache(this.runtime.dataFile)
     if (hasLegacyCache) {
       this.runtime.loadNeedsSave = true
       // Persist the seed even when no cache poll refresh occurs this session.
       this.runtime.githubCacheDirty = true
-    } else {
-      migrated.githubCache = readGithubCacheSnapshot(this.runtime.dataFile) ?? migrated.githubCache
+    } else if (stored?.cache) {
+      migrated.githubCache = stored.cache
+      // A sidecar import, or rows that already hold it, saves so the sidecar retires.
+      this.runtime.githubCacheDirty ||= stored.sidecarHash !== null
     }
+    // While the rows are unreadable nothing is dirty, so no save can replace them; a later
+    // commit of polled state supersedes the unhydrated sidecar instead.
+    this.runtime.githubCacheLegacyFileHash = stored?.sidecarHash ?? null
 
     logStartupMilestone('persistence-load-done', () => ({
       repos: migrated.repos.length,
@@ -307,3 +315,15 @@ export class LoadedStateParsingOperations {
     return migrated
   }
 }
+
+function readStoredGitHubCache(
+  dataFile: string
+): ReturnType<typeof readGitHubCacheDatabase> | null {
+  try {
+    return readGitHubCacheDatabase(dataFile)
+  } catch (error) {
+    // A disposable cache must never block startup; the first poll refills it.
+    console.warn('[persistence] Failed to read github cache:', error)
+    return null
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-preferences.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-preferences.ts
index d7143a3e82b..4741d1a49f4 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-preferences.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-preferences.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {
 } from '../applying-settings/feature-interaction-recording'
 
 import type { StoreRuntimeState } from './store-runtime-state'
+import { persistGithubCache } from './github-cache-persistence'
 import type { WriteSchedulingOperations } from './write-scheduling'
 import { scheduleSave } from './write-scheduling'
 import { bumpLocalWorktreeScanGeneration } from '../../workspaces/catalog/local-worktree-scan-generation'
@@ -30,9 +31,16 @@ import { bumpLocalWorktreeScanGeneration } from '../../workspaces/catalog/local-
 type ProfilePreferencesRuntime = Pick<
   StoreRuntimeState,
   | 'activeViewPreference'
+  | 'dataFile'
   | 'githubCacheDirty'
-  | 'githubCacheGeneration'
+  | 'githubCachePersistedAt'
+  | 'githubCacheLegacyFileHash'
+  | 'githubCachePersistTimer'
+  | 'githubCacheRetryDelayMs'
   | 'githubCacheWriteListeners'
+  | 'profileMaintenancePending'
+  | 'quitFlushStarted'
+  | 'writesFrozen'
   | 'protectedSecrets'
   | 'runDurableMutation'
   | 'settingsChangeListeners'
@@ -197,7 +205,7 @@ export class ProfilePreferences {
     // Cache polls write a sidecar at flush; scheduling a full profile save here amplifies every poll.
     this[profilePreferencesContext].runtime.state.githubCache = cache
     this[profilePreferencesContext].runtime.githubCacheDirty = true
-    this[profilePreferencesContext].runtime.githubCacheGeneration += 1
+    persistGithubCache(this[profilePreferencesContext].runtime, 'routine')
     for (const listener of this[profilePreferencesContext].runtime.githubCacheWriteListeners) {
       listener()
     }
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-state-maintenance.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-state-maintenance.ts
index 85e3bae7d3b..3f04eba8e92 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-state-maintenance.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/profile-state-maintenance.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import type { StoreRuntimeState } from './store-runtime-state'
 import { drainProfileStateOperations } from './profile-state-flush-lifetime'
 import { flushCurrentStateAsync } from './write-flush-barriers'
 import { scheduleSave } from './write-scheduling'
+import { persistGithubCache, suspendGithubCachePersistence } from './github-cache-persistence'
 
 export type ProfileStateMaintenanceOptions = {
   signal?: AbortSignal
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ export function freezeProfileStateWrites(runtime: StoreRuntimeState): void {
     clearTimeout(runtime.writeTimer)
     runtime.writeTimer = null
   }
+  suspendGithubCachePersistence(runtime)
   runtime.profileStateAuthority?.close?.()
 }
 
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ export async function freezeProfileStateWritesAsync(runtime: StoreRuntimeState):
     clearTimeout(runtime.writeTimer)
     runtime.writeTimer = null
   }
+  suspendGithubCachePersistence(runtime)
   try {
     await drainProfileStateOperations([
       runtime.pendingProfileMaintenance,
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@ export function beginProfileStateMaintenance(
     clearTimeout(runtime.writeTimer)
     runtime.writeTimer = null
   }
+  suspendGithubCachePersistence(runtime)
   const resumePreference = runtime.activeViewPreference.pauseForMaintenance()
   const resumeScheduling = () => {
     runtime.writesFrozen = false
@@ -63,6 +67,8 @@ export function beginProfileStateMaintenance(
     runtime.pendingProfileMaintenance = null
     resumePreference()
     scheduleSave(domains.scheduling)
+    // Updates admitted while paused (or a retry it skipped) resume their routine save.
+    persistGithubCache(runtime, 'routine')
   }
   const paused = pauseProfileState(runtime, domains, options).then((authority) => {
     let consumed = false
@@ -162,7 +168,7 @@ async function drainProfileFileWork(runtime: StoreRuntimeState): Promise<void> {
     runtime.staleProfileStateTempCleanup,
     runtime.pendingWrite,
     runtime.pendingSnapshotFileWork,
-    runtime.pendingGithubCacheWrite,
+    runtime.staleGithubCacheTempCleanup,
     runtime.activeViewPreference.waitForPendingWrite(),
     runtime.profileStateAuthority?.drainBackups?.(
       runtime.profileMaintenancePending || runtime.quitFlushStarted
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/store-runtime-state.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/store-runtime-state.ts
index 6a03d732750..52c3a1ed4eb 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/store-runtime-state.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/store-runtime-state.ts
@@ -83,9 +83,12 @@ export class StoreRuntimeState {
   dirtyProfileStateDomains: Set<string> | null = new Set()
   pendingAutomationRunsAfter: readonly AutomationRun[] | undefined
   githubCacheDirty = false
-  githubCacheGeneration = 0
+  githubCachePersistedAt = Date.now()
+  githubCachePersistTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+  githubCacheRetryDelayMs = 0
+  /** Fingerprint of a sidecar the loaded cache imported or supersedes; retired once rows commit. */
+  githubCacheLegacyFileHash: string | null = null
   readonly githubCacheWriteListeners = new Set<() => void>()
-  pendingGithubCacheWrite: Promise<void> | null = null
   readonly staleGithubCacheTempCleanup: Promise<void>
   readonly staleProfileStateTempCleanup: Promise<void>
   readonly gitUsernameCache = new Map<string, string>()
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/user-data-path.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/user-data-path.ts
index 470d611f49b..bbbd5af3d1a 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/user-data-path.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/user-data-path.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { getAppEnvironment } from '../../../shared/app-environment'
-import { copyFileSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { copyFileSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { dirname, join, resolve } from 'node:path'
-import type { PersistedState } from '../../../shared/persisted-state-types'
 import { hardenExistingSecureFile } from '../../../shared/secure-storage/secure-file'
 import { MOBILE_PAIRING_USERDATA_FILES } from '../../runtime/rpc/server/pairing/mobile-pairing-files'
 
@@ -29,22 +28,6 @@ export function getGithubCacheFile(dataFile = getDataFile()): string {
   return join(dirname(dataFile), 'orca-github-cache.json')
 }
 
-export function readGithubCacheSnapshot(dataFile: string): PersistedState['githubCache'] | null {
-  try {
-    const parsed = JSON.parse(readFileSync(getGithubCacheFile(dataFile), 'utf-8')) as unknown
-    const isPlainRecord = (value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> =>
-      typeof value === 'object' && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value)
-    if (
-      isPlainRecord(parsed) &&
-      isPlainRecord((parsed as { pr?: unknown }).pr) &&
-      isPlainRecord((parsed as { issue?: unknown }).issue)
-    ) {
-      return parsed as PersistedState['githubCache']
-    }
-  } catch {}
-  return null
-}
-
 /** Reuse the path captured before app.setName; late resolution can change casing and strand paired devices. */
 export function getCanonicalUserDataPath(): string {
   if (!_userDataDir) {
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/write-flush-barriers.ts b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/write-flush-barriers.ts
index bb302fcdadb..66ba9940203 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/loading-store/write-flush-barriers.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/loading-store/write-flush-barriers.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-import { writeFileSync, renameSync, unlinkSync } from 'node:fs'
-import { rename, rm, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
-import { durableWriteTempPath } from '../../filesystem/durable-file-write'
-import { getGithubCacheFile } from './user-data-path'
+import { persistGithubCache } from './github-cache-persistence'
 
 import type { StoreRuntimeState } from './store-runtime-state'
 import type { PrimaryStateWriteOperations } from './primary-state-writes'
@@ -16,16 +13,17 @@ type WriteFlushBarrierOperationsRuntime = Pick<
   | 'dataFile'
   | 'firstPendingSaveAt'
   | 'githubCacheDirty'
-  | 'githubCacheGeneration'
+  | 'githubCachePersistedAt'
+  | 'githubCacheLegacyFileHash'
+  | 'githubCachePersistTimer'
+  | 'githubCacheRetryDelayMs'
   | 'lastDurableWriteGeneration'
-  | 'pendingGithubCacheWrite'
   | 'pendingProfileFlushes'
   | 'pendingProfileMaintenance'
   | 'profileMaintenancePending'
   | 'profileStateAuthority'
   | 'quitFlushPromise'
   | 'quitFlushStarted'
-  | 'staleGithubCacheTempCleanup'
   | 'staleProfileStateTempCleanup'
   | 'state'
   | 'writeGeneration'
@@ -70,7 +68,7 @@ export class WriteFlushBarrierOperations {
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('[active-view] Failed to flush preference:', err)
     }
-    writeGithubCacheSnapshotSync(this)
+    persistGithubCache(runtime, 'routine')
   }
 
   flushAsync(): Promise<void> {
@@ -177,7 +175,11 @@ export async function flushCurrentStateAsync(
         await (final
           ? runtime.activeViewPreference.flushAsync()
           : runtime.activeViewPreference.flushPendingAsync(signal))
-        await writeGithubCacheSnapshotAsync(owner, final, signal)
+        // Quit and explicit barriers save the cache now; best-effort flushes may wait.
+        persistGithubCache(
+          runtime,
+          final || requireInitialGenerationDurable ? 'barrier' : 'routine'
+        )
         if (final || runtime.profileMaintenancePending) {
           await runtime.profileStateAuthority?.drainBackups?.(true)
         }
@@ -200,83 +202,3 @@ export async function flushCurrentStateAsync(
     }
   })
 }
-
-export async function writeGithubCacheSnapshotAsync(
-  owner: WriteFlushBarrierOperations,
-  drainToStableGeneration = true,
-  signal?: AbortSignal
-): Promise<void> {
-  const { runtime } = owner[writeFlushBarrierOperationsContext]
-  if (!runtime.githubCacheDirty) {
-    return
-  }
-  const previousWrite = runtime.pendingGithubCacheWrite ?? runtime.staleGithubCacheTempCleanup
-  const nextWrite = previousWrite
-    .then(async () => {
-      while (runtime.githubCacheDirty) {
-        if (signal?.aborted) {
-          throw new Error('GitHub cache flush aborted')
-        }
-        const generation = runtime.githubCacheGeneration
-        const cacheFile = getGithubCacheFile(runtime.dataFile)
-        const tmpFile = durableWriteTempPath(cacheFile)
-        let renamed = false
-        try {
-          await writeFile(tmpFile, JSON.stringify(runtime.state.githubCache), 'utf-8')
-          if (generation === runtime.githubCacheGeneration) {
-            await rename(tmpFile, cacheFile)
-            renamed = true
-            if (generation === runtime.githubCacheGeneration) {
-              runtime.githubCacheDirty = false
-            }
-          }
-        } finally {
-          if (!renamed) {
-            await rm(tmpFile).catch(() => {})
-          }
-        }
-        if (signal?.aborted) {
-          throw new Error('GitHub cache flush aborted')
-        }
-        if (!drainToStableGeneration) {
-          break
-        }
-      }
-    })
-    .catch((err) => {
-      console.warn('[persistence] Failed to write github cache snapshot:', err)
-    })
-    .finally(() => {
-      if (runtime.pendingGithubCacheWrite === nextWrite) {
-        runtime.pendingGithubCacheWrite = null
-      }
-    })
-  runtime.pendingGithubCacheWrite = nextWrite
-  await nextWrite
-}
-
-export function writeGithubCacheSnapshotSync(owner: WriteFlushBarrierOperations): void {
-  const { runtime } = owner[writeFlushBarrierOperationsContext]
-  if (!runtime.githubCacheDirty) {
-    return
-  }
-  if (runtime.pendingGithubCacheWrite) {
-    void writeGithubCacheSnapshotAsync(owner)
-    return
-  }
-  const cacheFile = getGithubCacheFile(runtime.dataFile)
-  const generation = runtime.githubCacheGeneration
-  const tmpFile = durableWriteTempPath(cacheFile)
-  try {
-    writeFileSync(tmpFile, JSON.stringify(runtime.state.githubCache), 'utf-8')
-    renameSync(tmpFile, cacheFile)
-    if (generation === runtime.githubCacheGeneration) {
-      runtime.githubCacheDirty = false
-    }
-  } catch (err) {
-    try {
-      unlinkSync(tmpFile)
-    } catch {}
-    console.warn('[persistence] Failed to write github cache snapshot:', err)
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/persistence-async-write-syscalls.test.ts b/src/main/persistence/persistence-async-write-syscalls.test.ts
index 19e9049f3b6..499df38a519 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/persistence-async-write-syscalls.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/persistence-async-write-syscalls.test.ts
@@ -152,27 +152,6 @@ describe('worker persistence avoids synchronous profile filesystem calls', () =>
     expect(readState().ui.sidebarWidth).toBe(511)
   })
 
-  it('drains mutations made while a sidecar rename is stalled', async () => {
-    const { store, readState } = await createWorkerMaintenanceFixture()
-    const started = maintenanceBarrier()
-    const finish = maintenanceBarrier()
-    fsCalls.waitAsync = (name, path) => {
-      if (name !== 'rename' || !path.includes('orca-github-cache.json.')) {
-        return
-      }
-      started.resolve()
-      return finish.promise
-    }
-    store.updateUI({ sidebarWidth: 611 })
-    store.setGitHubCache({ pr: {}, issue: {} })
-    const barrier = store.flushPendingOrThrowAsync()
-    await started.promise
-    store.updateUI({ sidebarWidth: 612 })
-    finish.resolve()
-    await barrier
-    expect(readState().ui.sidebarWidth).toBe(612)
-  })
-
   it('serializes queued durable mutations and refuses a synchronous live flush', async () => {
     const { store, authority, readState } = await createWorkerMaintenanceFixture()
     const gate = pauseCommit(authority)
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/persistence-flush-and-save-scheduling.test.ts b/src/main/persistence/persistence-flush-and-save-scheduling.test.ts
index cec21e4fd09..163c2505dff 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/persistence-flush-and-save-scheduling.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/persistence-flush-and-save-scheduling.test.ts
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ describe('Store', () => {
     })
   })
 
-  it('keeps GitHub cache sidecars scoped to explicit profile data files', async () => {
+  it('keeps the GitHub cache scoped to explicit profile data files', async () => {
     const profileADir = join(testState.dir, 'profiles', 'a')
     const profileBDir = join(testState.dir, 'profiles', 'b')
     const profileADataFile = join(profileADir, 'orca-data.json')
@@ -204,12 +204,12 @@ describe('Store', () => {
     initDataPath()
     const profileAStore = createSqliteTestStore(Store, { dataFile: profileADataFile })
     profileAStore.setGitHubCache({ pr: { 'o/r#a': { fetchedAt: 10 } as never }, issue: {} })
-    profileAStore.flush()
+    await profileAStore.flushPendingOrThrowAsync()
 
     const profileBStore = createSqliteTestStore(Store, { dataFile: profileBDataFile })
     expect(profileBStore.getGitHubCache().pr['o/r#a']).toBeUndefined()
     profileBStore.setGitHubCache({ pr: { 'o/r#b': { fetchedAt: 20 } as never }, issue: {} })
-    profileBStore.flush()
+    await profileBStore.flushPendingOrThrowAsync()
 
     const restartedProfileA = createSqliteTestStore(Store, { dataFile: profileADataFile })
     const restartedProfileB = createSqliteTestStore(Store, { dataFile: profileBDataFile })
diff --git a/src/main/startup/quit/quit-path-durable-write-blocking.test.ts b/src/main/startup/quit/quit-path-durable-write-blocking.test.ts
index 340e732e023..141b1bea1a1 100644
--- a/src/main/startup/quit/quit-path-durable-write-blocking.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/startup/quit/quit-path-durable-write-blocking.test.ts
@@ -286,45 +286,6 @@ describe('quit-path durable writes never park the main thread', () => {
     expect(readState(dir).ui.sidebarWidth).toBe(200)
   })
 
-  it('serializes github-cache snapshots and keeps the newest generation', async () => {
-    const dir = makeDir()
-    const store = await createStore(dir)
-    let releaseWrite!: () => void
-    const writeRelease = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-      releaseWrite = resolve
-    })
-    let signalWrite!: () => void
-    releases.push(releaseWrite)
-    const writeStarted = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-      signalWrite = resolve
-    })
-    let held = false
-    fsCalls.dirPrefix = dir
-    fsCalls.recording = true
-    fsCalls.waitAsync = (fn, target) => {
-      if (held || fn !== 'writeFile' || !target.includes('orca-github-cache.json')) {
-        return null
-      }
-      held = true
-      signalWrite()
-      return writeRelease
-    }
-
-    store.setGitHubCache({ pr: { test: { data: null, fetchedAt: 1 } }, issue: {} })
-    const finalFlush = store.flushAsync()
-    await writeStarted
-    store.setGitHubCache({ pr: { test: { data: null, fetchedAt: 2 } }, issue: {} })
-
-    releaseWrite()
-    await finalFlush
-    fsCalls.recording = false
-
-    expect(JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, 'orca-github-cache.json'), 'utf-8'))).toEqual({
-      pr: { test: { data: null, fetchedAt: 2 } },
-      issue: {}
-    })
-  })
-
   it('stats.flushAsync() wins over a debounced write already in flight', async () => {
     const dir = makeDir()
     const stats = await createStatsCollector(dir)