diff --git a/src/main/orcad/launcher.ts b/src/main/orcad/launcher.ts
index 747f30cc784..bb956c00737 100644
--- a/src/main/orcad/launcher.ts
+++ b/src/main/orcad/launcher.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
 import { ORCAD_SERVER_ENTRY_FILENAME } from '../../shared/orcad-artifacts'
 import { assertOrcadServerRuntime, handoffToBundledOrcad } from './orcad-bundled-runtime'
 import { ORCAD_EXIT_CONFIGURATION } from './orcad-configuration-exit'
+import { enableManagedOrcadCompileCache } from './orcad-compile-cache'
 
 declare const ORCAD_SERVER_SHA256: string
 
@@ -18,7 +19,10 @@ try {
     if (createHash('sha256').update(readFileSync(server)).digest('hex') !== ORCAD_SERVER_SHA256) {
       throw new Error('The Orca server does not match its launcher')
     }
-    loadServer = () => createRequire(entry)(server)
+    loadServer = () => {
+      enableManagedOrcadCompileCache(dirname(entry))
+      createRequire(entry)(server)
+    }
   }
 } catch (error) {
   console.error('orcad: failed to launch:', error)
diff --git a/src/main/orcad/orcad-compile-cache.test.ts b/src/main/orcad/orcad-compile-cache.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bc1c211eac2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/orcad/orcad-compile-cache.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV } from '../../shared/orcad-managed-launch-env'
+import {
+  ORCAD_COMPILE_CACHE_DIRNAME,
+  enableManagedOrcadCompileCache,
+  orcadCompileCacheEnv
+} from './orcad-compile-cache'
+
+const managed = {
+  [ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV]: '/home/u/.orca-remote/.fence'
+}
+
+describe('managed orcad compile cache', () => {
+  it('caches inside a managed slot, where slot GC removes it with the slot', () => {
+    const enableCompileCache = vi.fn()
+    enableManagedOrcadCompileCache('/home/u/.orca-remote/orcad-1+ab', managed, {
+      enableCompileCache
+    })
+    expect(enableCompileCache).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      join('/home/u/.orca-remote/orcad-1+ab', ORCAD_COMPILE_CACHE_DIRNAME)
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('never writes into a slot no client manages, such as a packaged app', () => {
+    const enableCompileCache = vi.fn()
+    enableManagedOrcadCompileCache('/Applications/Orca.app/orcad', {}, { enableCompileCache })
+    expect(enableCompileCache).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('starts as before on a runtime without the API or with an unwritable slot', () => {
+    expect(() => enableManagedOrcadCompileCache('/slot', managed, {})).not.toThrow()
+    const enableCompileCache = vi.fn(() => {
+      throw new Error('EACCES')
+    })
+    expect(() =>
+      enableManagedOrcadCompileCache('/slot', managed, { enableCompileCache })
+    ).not.toThrow()
+  })
+
+  it('hands the preflight child the slot cache only when this process enabled one', () => {
+    const enabled = { getCompileCacheDir: () => '/slot/x/v24' }
+    expect(orcadCompileCacheEnv('/slot', enabled, managed)).toEqual({
+      NODE_COMPILE_CACHE: join('/slot', ORCAD_COMPILE_CACHE_DIRNAME)
+    })
+    expect(orcadCompileCacheEnv('/slot', { getCompileCacheDir: () => undefined }, managed)).toEqual(
+      {}
+    )
+    expect(orcadCompileCacheEnv('/slot', {}, managed)).toEqual({})
+    // Regression: an unmanaged orcad's own NODE_COMPILE_CACHE stays where the operator put it.
+    expect(orcadCompileCacheEnv('/slot', enabled, {})).toEqual({})
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/orcad/orcad-compile-cache.ts b/src/main/orcad/orcad-compile-cache.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..720f1d68b9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/orcad/orcad-compile-cache.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/**
+ * V8 code cache for a managed slot's bundles. MEASURED on a low-spec WSL host: compiling
+ * orcad-server.js took ~600 ms per start, twice (server and its profile preflight); cached ~290 ms.
+ */
+import module from 'node:module'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV } from '../../shared/orcad-managed-launch-env'
+
+export const ORCAD_COMPILE_CACHE_DIRNAME = '.orcad-compile-cache'
+
+type CompileCacheModule = {
+  enableCompileCache?: (directory: string) => unknown
+  getCompileCacheDir?: () => string | undefined
+}
+
+/**
+ * Only a client-managed slot (SSH or WSL), which slot GC deletes with its cache; never a packaged
+ * app directory, where a new file would break the bundle's signature. Never throws: an unwritable
+ * slot or a runtime without the API just compiles as before.
+ */
+export function enableManagedOrcadCompileCache(
+  slotDirectory: string,
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+  api: CompileCacheModule = module
+): void {
+  if (!env[ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV] || typeof api.enableCompileCache !== 'function') {
+    return
+  }
+  try {
+    api.enableCompileCache(join(slotDirectory, ORCAD_COMPILE_CACHE_DIRNAME))
+  } catch {
+    // Best effort by design.
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Env that gives a disposable orcad child the same cache. Not for children that spawn user
+ * processes: an inherited NODE_COMPILE_CACHE would reach every Node program in a terminal.
+ */
+export function orcadCompileCacheEnv(
+  slotDirectory: string,
+  api: CompileCacheModule = module,
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env
+): Record<string, string> {
+  // An unmanaged orcad may have an operator's NODE_COMPILE_CACHE; never redirect it into the slot.
+  const enabled =
+    Boolean(env[ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV]) &&
+    typeof api.getCompileCacheDir === 'function' &&
+    Boolean(api.getCompileCacheDir())
+  return enabled ? { NODE_COMPILE_CACHE: join(slotDirectory, ORCAD_COMPILE_CACHE_DIRNAME) } : {}
+}
diff --git a/src/main/orcad/orcad-launcher-isolation.integration.test.ts b/src/main/orcad/orcad-launcher-isolation.integration.test.ts
index 464c8f0b317..af69047ef94 100644
--- a/src/main/orcad/orcad-launcher-isolation.integration.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/orcad/orcad-launcher-isolation.integration.test.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ it('keeps the server and profile-state graph outside the compatibility launcher'
     'src/main/orcad/orcad-app-paths.ts',
     'src/main/orcad/orcad-configuration-exit.ts',
     'src/main/orcad/orcad-bundled-runtime.ts',
+    'src/main/orcad/orcad-compile-cache.ts',
     'src/main/orcad/launcher.ts'
   ])
   expect(inputs.some((path) => path.startsWith('node_modules/'))).toBe(false)
diff --git a/src/main/orcad/orcad-profile-preflight.ts b/src/main/orcad/orcad-profile-preflight.ts
index 4a3be34b44b..e72fb536584 100644
--- a/src/main/orcad/orcad-profile-preflight.ts
+++ b/src/main/orcad/orcad-profile-preflight.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { ORCAD_SERVER_ENTRY_FILENAME, ORCAD_VERSION_FILENAME } from '../../share
 import { ORCAD_NODE_RUNTIME_IDENTITY } from '../../shared/orcad-node-runtime-identity'
 import { runProcess } from '@orca/process-host'
 import { preflightOrcadNativeRuntime } from './orcad-runtime-native-preflight'
+import { orcadCompileCacheEnv } from './orcad-compile-cache'
 import {
   isRunningAsBundledOrcadRuntime,
   OrcadBundledRuntimeError,
@@ -34,7 +35,8 @@ export async function preflightBundledOrcadStartup(): Promise<void> {
   const result = await runProcess({
     program: process.execPath,
     args: [join(directory, ORCAD_SERVER_ENTRY_FILENAME), ORCAD_STARTUP_PREFLIGHT_FLAG, nonce],
-    env: { ...process.env, ORCA_BACKGROUND_LAUNCH: '1' },
+    // The preflight compiles the same bundle again, so it shares the server's code cache.
+    env: { ...process.env, ORCA_BACKGROUND_LAUNCH: '1', ...orcadCompileCacheEnv(directory) },
     timeoutMs: ORCAD_PROFILE_PREFLIGHT_TIMEOUT_MS,
     maxOutputBytes: 64 * 1024,
     terminationBarrier: true
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts b/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts
index b0887083c40..04091cdda61 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ export type RemoteCommandChannel = Duplex & {
 /** What remote install, lock, GC and host-probe code uses from a host connection. */
 export type RemoteInstallTransport = {
   exec(command: string, options?: SshExecOptions): Promise<RemoteCommandChannel>
+  /**
+   * Optional: `exec` for a command whose stdin the caller never writes, which may run with stdin
+   * at EOF. Lets a transport whose every exec is a process start reuse one (WSL); SSH has none.
+   */
+  execWithClosedStdin?(command: string, options?: SshExecOptions): Promise<RemoteCommandChannel>
   usesSystemSshTransport(): boolean
   /** Changes whenever the underlying transport is replaced; scopes per-transport verdicts. */
   getConnectGeneration(): number
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-closed-stdin.test.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-closed-stdin.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b2b7ee77668
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-closed-stdin.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import { Duplex, PassThrough, Readable } from 'node:stream'
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from './remote-install-transport'
+import { execCommand } from './ssh-relay-exec-command'
+
+function answering(output: string): RemoteCommandChannel {
+  const channel = new Duplex({
+    emitClose: false,
+    read() {},
+    write: (_c, _e, done) => done()
+  })
+  Object.assign(channel, {
+    stdin: new PassThrough(),
+    stderr: new PassThrough(),
+    close() {}
+  })
+  setImmediate(() => {
+    channel.push(output)
+    channel.push(null)
+    channel.emit('close', 0)
+  })
+  // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: stdin, stderr and close were assigned above.
+  return channel as unknown as RemoteCommandChannel
+}
+
+describe('execCommand transport routing', () => {
+  it('sends SSH the same command and options as before, through exec', async () => {
+    const exec = vi.fn(async (_command: string, _options?: unknown) => answering('ok'))
+    const conn = { exec, usesSystemSshTransport: () => false }
+    const signal = new AbortController().signal
+    await execCommand(conn, 'uname -sm', { signal })
+    expect(exec).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    const [command, options] = exec.mock.calls[0] ?? ['', null]
+    expect(options).toEqual({ signal })
+    expect(command.split('\n').slice(1, -3)).toEqual(['uname -sm'])
+    await execCommand(conn, 'true', { wrapCommand: false })
+    expect(exec).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('true', { wrapCommand: false })
+  })
+
+  it('uses a closed-stdin exec only when the caller has no stdin to send', async () => {
+    const exec = vi.fn(async () => answering('direct'))
+    const execWithClosedStdin = vi.fn(async () => answering('pooled'))
+    const conn = {
+      exec,
+      execWithClosedStdin,
+      usesSystemSshTransport: () => false
+    }
+    await expect(execCommand(conn, 'probe', { wrapCommand: false })).resolves.toBe('pooled')
+    expect(execWithClosedStdin).toHaveBeenCalledWith('probe', {
+      wrapCommand: false
+    })
+    await expect(
+      execCommand(conn, 'cat', {
+        wrapCommand: false,
+        stdin: Readable.from(['x'])
+      })
+    ).resolves.toBe('direct')
+    expect(exec).toHaveBeenCalledWith('cat', { wrapCommand: false })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts
index b5bd6b12a95..56c17332854 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ export function sshCommandExitError(
 }
 
 export async function execCommand(
-  conn: Pick<RemoteInstallTransport, 'exec' | 'usesSystemSshTransport'>,
+  conn: Pick<RemoteInstallTransport, 'exec' | 'execWithClosedStdin' | 'usesSystemSshTransport'>,
   command: string,
   options?: ExecCommandOptions
 ): Promise<string> {
@@ -91,7 +91,11 @@ export async function execCommand(
   const readPayload = (stdout: string): string => fence?.readStdout(stdout) ?? stdout
   let channel: RemoteCommandChannel
   try {
-    channel = await conn.exec(fence?.command ?? command, execOptions)
+    // Why only without `stdin`: nothing below writes or ends the channel's stdin otherwise.
+    channel =
+      !stdin && conn.execWithClosedStdin
+        ? await conn.execWithClosedStdin(fence?.command ?? command, execOptions)
+        : await conn.exec(fence?.command ?? command, execOptions)
   } catch (error) {
     // Preserve identity/classifier fields while removing install-owner tokens.
     redactRelayInstallMarkerError(error)
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop-pool.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop-pool.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6899648e214
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop-pool.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+import type { PipedChildProcess } from '@orca/process-host/process-spec'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from '../ssh/remote-install-transport'
+import { createSshOperationAbortError } from '../ssh/ssh-connection-utils'
+import { startWslCommandLoop, wslCommandLoopMarker, type WslCommandLoop } from './wsl-command-loop'
+
+export type WslCommandLoopPool = {
+  /** A channel on an idle loop, or null when the caller should start its own wsl.exe. */
+  run(command: string, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<RemoteCommandChannel | null>
+  dispose(): void
+}
+
+type WslCommandLoopPoolOptions = {
+  /** Starts `wsl.exe --exec sh -c <loop script> <argv0> <marker>`. */
+  spawnLoop: (marker: string) => PipedChildProcess
+  /** Concurrent commands beyond this run on their own wsl.exe, as before. */
+  maxLoops?: number
+  idleMs?: number
+  /** A guest that cannot answer the self-test in time falls back to one wsl.exe per command. */
+  readyTimeoutMs?: number
+}
+
+export function createWslCommandLoopPool(options: WslCommandLoopPoolOptions): WslCommandLoopPool {
+  const maxLoops = options.maxLoops ?? 4
+  const idleMs = options.idleMs ?? 5_000
+  const readyTimeoutMs = options.readyTimeoutMs ?? 15_000
+  const loops = new Set<WslCommandLoop>()
+  const reserved = new Set<WslCommandLoop>()
+  const idleTimers = new Map<WslCommandLoop, ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>()
+  // Sticky: a guest without mktemp/base64, or a wsl.exe that cannot keep a loop, stays direct.
+  let unavailable = false
+  let disposed = false
+
+  const retire = (loop: WslCommandLoop): void => {
+    clearTimeout(idleTimers.get(loop))
+    idleTimers.delete(loop)
+    loops.delete(loop)
+    reserved.delete(loop)
+    loop.end()
+  }
+
+  const create = (): WslCommandLoop => {
+    const marker = wslCommandLoopMarker()
+    const loop = startWslCommandLoop(options.spawnLoop(marker), marker)
+    loops.add(loop)
+    loop.onIdle(() => {
+      if (disposed) {
+        retire(loop)
+        return
+      }
+      const timer = setTimeout(() => retire(loop), idleMs)
+      timer.unref?.()
+      idleTimers.set(loop, timer)
+    })
+    return loop
+  }
+
+  const reserve = (): WslCommandLoop | null => {
+    for (const loop of loops) {
+      if (!loop.alive) {
+        retire(loop)
+      } else if (!loop.busy && !reserved.has(loop)) {
+        clearTimeout(idleTimers.get(loop))
+        idleTimers.delete(loop)
+        reserved.add(loop)
+        return loop
+      }
+    }
+    if (loops.size >= maxLoops) {
+      return null
+    }
+    let loop: WslCommandLoop
+    try {
+      loop = create()
+    } catch {
+      // The caller's own wsl.exe start reports the real failure.
+      unavailable = true
+      return null
+    }
+    reserved.add(loop)
+    return loop
+  }
+
+  return {
+    async run(command, signal) {
+      if (unavailable || disposed) {
+        return null
+      }
+      if (signal?.aborted) {
+        throw createSshOperationAbortError()
+      }
+      const loop = reserve()
+      if (!loop) {
+        return null
+      }
+      try {
+        await waitReady(loop, readyTimeoutMs, signal)
+      } catch {
+        retire(loop)
+        loop.kill()
+        if (signal?.aborted) {
+          throw createSshOperationAbortError()
+        }
+        unavailable = true
+        return null
+      }
+      reserved.delete(loop)
+      if (!loop.alive || loop.busy) {
+        retire(loop)
+        return null
+      }
+      return loop.run(command)
+    },
+    dispose() {
+      disposed = true
+      for (const loop of loops) {
+        if (!loop.busy) {
+          retire(loop)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function waitReady(loop: WslCommandLoop, timeoutMs: number, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<void> {
+  return new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+    const timer = setTimeout(
+      () => finish(new Error('The WSL command loop did not start')),
+      timeoutMs
+    )
+    const onAbort = (): void => finish(createSshOperationAbortError())
+    const finish = (error?: Error): void => {
+      clearTimeout(timer)
+      signal?.removeEventListener('abort', onAbort)
+      if (error) {
+        reject(error)
+      } else {
+        resolve()
+      }
+    }
+    signal?.addEventListener('abort', onAbort, { once: true })
+    loop.ready.then(() => finish(), finish)
+  })
+}
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop.test.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ecdce9dbcbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+import { mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { spawnProcess } from '@orca/process-host'
+import type { PipedChildProcess } from '@orca/process-host/process-spec'
+import { execCommand } from '../ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command'
+import { WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_ARGV0, WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_SCRIPT } from './wsl-command-loop'
+import { createWslCommandLoopPool, type WslCommandLoopPool } from './wsl-command-loop-pool'
+
+// The guest side is plain POSIX sh, so a local sh stands in for `wsl.exe --exec sh`.
+const posix = process.platform !== 'win32'
+const spawned: PipedChildProcess[] = []
+const pools: WslCommandLoopPool[] = []
+
+function pool(options: { maxLoops?: number; script?: string } = {}) {
+  const created = createWslCommandLoopPool({
+    maxLoops: options.maxLoops,
+    spawnLoop: (marker) => {
+      const child = spawnProcess({
+        program: 'sh',
+        args: ['-c', options.script ?? WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_SCRIPT, WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_ARGV0, marker]
+      })
+      spawned.push(child)
+      return child
+    }
+  })
+  pools.push(created)
+  const conn = {
+    exec: () => Promise.reject(new Error('direct exec')),
+    execWithClosedStdin: async (command: string, options?: { signal?: AbortSignal }) => {
+      const channel = await created.run(command, options?.signal)
+      if (!channel) {
+        throw new Error('loop unavailable')
+      }
+      return channel
+    },
+    usesSystemSshTransport: () => false
+  }
+  return { pool: created, conn }
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  pools.splice(0).forEach((entry) => entry.dispose())
+  spawned.splice(0).forEach((child) => child.kill())
+})
+
+describe.runIf(posix)('WSL command loop', () => {
+  it('runs many commands over one process with their own stdout, stderr and status', async () => {
+    const { conn } = pool()
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, 'echo one')).toBe('one\n')
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, "printf 'a\\nb'")).toBe('a\nb')
+    let stderr = ''
+    expect(
+      await execCommand(conn, 'echo out; echo err >&2', {
+        onStderr: (text) => (stderr = text)
+      })
+    ).toBe('out\n')
+    expect(stderr).toBe('err\n')
+    await expect(execCommand(conn, 'echo partial; exit 7')).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      exitCode: 7,
+      stdout: 'partial\n'
+    })
+    expect(spawned).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps binary output, quoting and multi-line scripts intact', async () => {
+    const { conn } = pool()
+    const script = "x='it''s'\nfor i in 1 2; do printf '%s-%s\\n' \"$x\" $i; done"
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, script)).toBe('its-1\nits-2\n')
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, 'printf "\\0\\377"')).toBe(
+      Buffer.from([0, 0xff]).toString('utf-8')
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('gives each command EOF on stdin, its own session and no loop variables', async () => {
+    const { conn } = pool()
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, 'cat; echo eof')).toBe('eof\n')
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, 'echo "[${m:-}${d:-}${l:-}]"')).toBe('[]\n')
+    const sessionLeads = await execCommand(
+      conn,
+      'if command -v setsid >/dev/null 2>&1; then [ "$(ps -o sid= -p $$ | tr -d " ")" = "$$" ] && echo own || echo shared; else echo own; fi'
+    )
+    expect(sessionLeads).toBe('own\n')
+  })
+
+  it('runs concurrent commands on separate loops up to the cap, then declines', async () => {
+    const { pool: loops, conn } = pool({ maxLoops: 2 })
+    const slow = [execCommand(conn, 'sleep 0.3; echo a'), execCommand(conn, 'sleep 0.3; echo b')]
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 50))
+    await expect(loops.run('echo c')).resolves.toBeNull()
+    expect(await Promise.all(slow)).toEqual(['a\n', 'b\n'])
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, 'echo d')).toBe('d\n')
+    expect(spawned).toHaveLength(2)
+  })
+
+  it('does not let a backgrounded writer leak into the next command', async () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'orca-wsl-loop-'))
+    try {
+      const { conn } = pool()
+      await execCommand(conn, `(sleep 0.2; echo late; echo done > '${dir}/f') &`)
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 400))
+      expect(readFileSync(join(dir, 'f'), 'utf8')).toBe('done\n')
+      expect(await execCommand(conn, 'echo next')).toBe('next\n')
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    }
+  })
+
+  it('kills the loop when a command is aborted, and later commands start a new one', async () => {
+    const { conn } = pool()
+    const controller = new AbortController()
+    const running = execCommand(conn, 'sleep 30', {
+      signal: controller.signal
+    })
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 100))
+    controller.abort()
+    await expect(running).rejects.toMatchObject({ name: 'AbortError' })
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, 'echo again')).toBe('again\n')
+    expect(spawned).toHaveLength(2)
+  })
+
+  it('declines for good when the guest loop cannot start', async () => {
+    const { pool: loops } = pool({ script: 'exit 98' })
+    await expect(loops.run('echo x')).resolves.toBeNull()
+    await expect(loops.run('echo y')).resolves.toBeNull()
+    expect(spawned).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
+  it('reports a loop that dies mid-command as a failed command', async () => {
+    const { conn } = pool()
+    await expect(execCommand(conn, 'kill -9 $PPID 2>/dev/null; sleep 5')).rejects.toThrow()
+    expect(await execCommand(conn, 'echo recovered')).toBe('recovered\n')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9f50264efa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-command-loop.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,233 @@
+/**
+ * One long-lived `wsl.exe --exec sh` that runs stdin-free commands one after another, so a run of
+ * short probes pays one wsl.exe start instead of one each (MEASURED ~180 ms each on win-lowspec).
+ * Each command runs as `sh -c` in its own session with stdin at /dev/null; its stdout, stderr and
+ * exit status come back base64-framed between per-loop markers.
+ */
+import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto'
+import { Duplex, PassThrough, Writable } from 'node:stream'
+import type { PipedChildProcess } from '@orca/process-host/process-spec'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from '../ssh/remote-install-transport'
+
+// Why setsid: a `wsl.exe --exec` command leads its own session; without it every command
+// would share the loop's process group. Why fresh files per command: a backgrounded writer
+// keeps the unlinked one, never the next command's output.
+export const WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_SCRIPT = [
+  'm="$1"',
+  'd=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/orca-wsl-exec.XXXXXX") || exit 97',
+  'trap \'rm -rf "$d"\' EXIT',
+  "trap 'exit 129' HUP INT TERM",
+  '[ "$(printf eA== | base64 -d 2>/dev/null)" = x ] || exit 98',
+  'if command -v setsid >/dev/null 2>&1; then s=setsid; else s=; fi',
+  'printf \'%s R\\n\' "$m"',
+  'while IFS= read -r l; do',
+  '  c=$(printf %s "$l" | base64 -d) || exit 99',
+  '  $s sh -c "$c" </dev/null >"$d/o" 2>"$d/e"',
+  '  r=$?',
+  '  printf \'%s O\\n\' "$m"; base64 <"$d/o"',
+  '  printf \'%s E\\n\' "$m"; base64 <"$d/e"',
+  '  printf \'%s X %s\\n\' "$m" "$r"',
+  '  rm -f "$d/o" "$d/e"',
+  'done'
+].join('\n')
+
+export const WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_ARGV0 = 'orca-wsl-exec-loop'
+
+const BASE64_LINE = /^[A-Za-z0-9+/=]*$/u
+
+type PendingCommand = {
+  channel: Duplex
+  stderr: PassThrough
+  stdout: string[]
+  errors: string[]
+  section: 'none' | 'out' | 'err'
+  settled: boolean
+}
+
+export type WslCommandLoop = {
+  /** Resolves once the guest loop answered its self-test; rejects if it never can. */
+  readonly ready: Promise<void>
+  readonly busy: boolean
+  readonly alive: boolean
+  run(command: string): RemoteCommandChannel
+  /** Ends the loop at its next read; a running command finishes first. */
+  end(): void
+  kill(): void
+  onIdle(listener: () => void): void
+}
+
+export function wslCommandLoopMarker(): string {
+  return `__ORCA_WSL_EXEC_${randomUUID().replaceAll('-', '')}__`
+}
+
+export function startWslCommandLoop(child: PipedChildProcess, marker: string): WslCommandLoop {
+  let pending: PendingCommand | null = null
+  let alive = true
+  let buffered = ''
+  let idleListener: () => void = () => {}
+  let markReady: () => void = () => {}
+  let failReady: (error: Error) => void = () => {}
+  let isReady = false
+  const ready = new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+    markReady = resolve
+    failReady = reject
+  })
+  // Callers that never await `ready` must not see an unhandled rejection.
+  ready.catch(() => {})
+
+  const settle = (code: number | null, signal: NodeJS.Signals | null, error?: Error): void => {
+    const command = pending
+    if (!command || command.settled) {
+      return
+    }
+    command.settled = true
+    pending = null
+    if (error) {
+      command.channel.destroy(error)
+    } else {
+      const out = Buffer.from(command.stdout.join(''), 'base64')
+      if (out.length > 0) {
+        command.channel.push(out)
+      }
+      command.channel.push(null)
+      const err = Buffer.from(command.errors.join(''), 'base64')
+      command.stderr.end(err.length > 0 ? err : undefined)
+    }
+    command.channel.emit('exit', code, signal)
+    // Like a wsl.exe child: `close` after its streams, so readers have their data first.
+    setImmediate(() => command.channel.emit('close', code, signal))
+    if (alive && !error) {
+      idleListener()
+    }
+  }
+
+  const fail = (reason: string): void => {
+    if (!isReady) {
+      failReady(new Error(reason))
+    }
+    settle(null, null, new Error(reason))
+    if (alive) {
+      kill()
+    }
+  }
+
+  const onLine = (line: string): void => {
+    if (line.startsWith(`${marker} `)) {
+      const control = line.slice(marker.length + 1)
+      if (control === 'R' && !isReady) {
+        isReady = true
+        markReady()
+      } else if (control === 'O' && pending) {
+        pending.section = 'out'
+      } else if (control === 'E' && pending) {
+        pending.section = 'err'
+      } else if (control.startsWith('X ') && pending) {
+        const code = Number.parseInt(control.slice(2), 10)
+        settle(Number.isSafeInteger(code) ? code : null, null)
+      } else {
+        fail('The WSL command loop sent an unexpected frame')
+      }
+      return
+    }
+    if (!pending || pending.section === 'none') {
+      // Outside a frame: nothing the protocol writes, so ignore stray guest output.
+      return
+    }
+    if (!BASE64_LINE.test(line)) {
+      fail('The WSL command loop sent a malformed frame')
+      return
+    }
+    ;(pending.section === 'out' ? pending.stdout : pending.errors).push(line)
+  }
+
+  const kill = (): void => {
+    if (child.exitCode === null && child.signalCode === null) {
+      child.kill()
+    }
+  }
+
+  child.stdout.setEncoding('utf8')
+  child.stdout.on('data', (chunk: string) => {
+    buffered += chunk
+    let newline = buffered.indexOf('\n')
+    while (newline >= 0) {
+      onLine(buffered.slice(0, newline).replace(/\r$/u, ''))
+      buffered = buffered.slice(newline + 1)
+      newline = buffered.indexOf('\n')
+    }
+  })
+  // The loop's own stderr is never a command's; drain it so wsl.exe cannot block on it.
+  child.stderr.resume()
+  const ignore = (): void => {}
+  child.stdin.on('error', ignore)
+  child.stdout.on('error', ignore)
+  child.stderr.on('error', ignore)
+  child.on('error', (error) => {
+    alive = false
+    fail(error.message)
+  })
+  child.on('close', (code, signal) => {
+    alive = false
+    if (!isReady) {
+      failReady(new Error(`The WSL command loop exited (${code ?? signal ?? 'unknown'})`))
+    }
+    // A command cut off by the loop's exit reads like a killed wsl.exe child.
+    settle(null, signal ?? 'SIGTERM')
+  })
+
+  return {
+    ready,
+    get busy() {
+      return pending !== null
+    },
+    get alive() {
+      return alive
+    },
+    run(command) {
+      if (pending || !alive || !isReady) {
+        throw new Error('The WSL command loop is not idle')
+      }
+      const stderr = new PassThrough()
+      const channel = new Duplex({
+        emitClose: false,
+        read() {},
+        write: refuseStdin
+      })
+      const entry: PendingCommand = {
+        channel,
+        stderr,
+        stdout: [],
+        errors: [],
+        section: 'none',
+        settled: false
+      }
+      pending = entry
+      Object.assign(channel, {
+        stdin: new Writable({ write: refuseStdin }),
+        stderr,
+        close: () => {
+          // The command runs inside the loop, so stopping it means stopping the loop.
+          if (!entry.settled) {
+            kill()
+          }
+        }
+      })
+      child.stdin.write(`${Buffer.from(command, 'utf8').toString('base64')}\n`)
+      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: `stdin`, `stderr` and `close` were assigned above and `exit`/`close` are emitted by `settle`.
+      return channel as unknown as RemoteCommandChannel
+    },
+    end() {
+      if (alive) {
+        child.stdin.end()
+      }
+    },
+    kill,
+    onIdle(listener) {
+      idleListener = listener
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function refuseStdin(_chunk: unknown, _encoding: unknown, done: (error?: Error) => void): void {
+  done(new Error('This WSL command runs with stdin closed'))
+}
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-deploy.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-deploy.ts
index 474c5a60fb6..c10a9cceb5b 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-deploy.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-deploy.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import { createWslDistroHolder, type WslDistroHolder } from './wsl-distro-holder
 import { wslDistroHolderKey } from './wsl-distro-holder-record'
 import { readWslDistroRegistryId } from './wsl-distro-registry-id'
 import type { WslOrcadHostTarget } from './wsl-orcad-host-target'
-import { createWslOrcadHostTransport } from './wsl-orcad-host-transport'
+import { createWslOrcadHostTransport, type WslOrcadHostTransport } from './wsl-orcad-host-transport'
 import { adoptUnrecordedWslOrcad } from './wsl-orcad-instance-adoption'
 
 export type WslOrcadLaunch =
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export type WslOrcadDeployOptions = {
   signal?: AbortSignal
   /** Defaults to one created over `userData`; the app should pass its shared instance. */
   holder?: WslDistroHolder
-  createTransport?: (target: WslOrcadHostTarget) => OrcadHostTransport
+  createTransport?: (target: WslOrcadHostTarget) => OrcadHostTransport & { dispose?(): void }
   readRegistryId?: (distro: string) => Promise<string | null>
 }
 
@@ -91,6 +91,19 @@ export async function deployAndLaunchWslOrcad(
     label: options.label ?? name
   }
   const conn = (options.createTransport ?? defaultTransport)(target)
+  try {
+    return await launchOverTransport(name, target, conn, options)
+  } finally {
+    conn.dispose?.()
+  }
+}
+
+async function launchOverTransport(
+  name: string,
+  target: WslOrcadHostTarget,
+  conn: OrcadHostTransport,
+  options: WslOrcadDeployOptions
+): Promise<WslOrcadLaunch> {
   const { signal } = options
   const kernel = await execCommand(conn, 'uname -r', { signal })
   if (isWsl1KernelRelease(kernel)) {
@@ -184,7 +197,7 @@ export async function deployAndLaunchWslOrcad(
   }
 }
 
-function defaultTransport(target: WslOrcadHostTarget): OrcadHostTransport {
+function defaultTransport(target: WslOrcadHostTarget): WslOrcadHostTransport {
   return createWslOrcadHostTransport({ target })
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport-loops.test.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport-loops.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7642de92b6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport-loops.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+import { Readable } from 'node:stream'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { spawnProcess } from '@orca/process-host'
+import type { PipedChildProcess, PipedProcessSpec } from '@orca/process-host/process-spec'
+import { execCommand } from '../ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command'
+import { createWslOrcadHostTransport, type WslOrcadHostTransport } from './wsl-orcad-host-transport'
+
+const posix = process.platform !== 'win32'
+const children: PipedChildProcess[] = []
+const transports: WslOrcadHostTransport[] = []
+
+/** Runs what follows `--exec` with the local sh, as wsl.exe would inside the distro. */
+function localTransport() {
+  const specs: PipedProcessSpec[] = []
+  const transport = createWslOrcadHostTransport({
+    target: {
+      kind: 'wsl',
+      id: 'env-1',
+      distro: 'Ubuntu-24.04',
+      label: 'Ubuntu'
+    },
+    spawn: (spec) => {
+      specs.push(spec)
+      const args = spec.args ?? []
+      const child = spawnProcess({
+        program: 'sh',
+        args: args.slice(args.indexOf('--exec') + 2)
+      })
+      children.push(child)
+      return child
+    }
+  })
+  transports.push(transport)
+  return { transport, specs }
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  transports.splice(0).forEach((transport) => transport.dispose())
+  children.splice(0).forEach((child) => child.kill())
+})
+
+describe.runIf(posix)('WSL transport command loops', () => {
+  it('runs a sequence of stdin-free probes over one wsl.exe', async () => {
+    const { transport, specs } = localTransport()
+    for (const word of ['uname', 'home', 'record', 'fence']) {
+      expect(await execCommand(transport, `echo ${word}`)).toBe(`${word}\n`)
+    }
+    expect(specs).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(specs[0]?.args?.slice(0, 5)).toEqual(['-d', 'Ubuntu-24.04', '--exec', 'sh', '-c'])
+    expect(specs[0]?.args?.[6]).toBe('orca-wsl-exec-loop')
+  })
+
+  it('still gives a command that takes stdin its own wsl.exe', async () => {
+    const { transport, specs } = localTransport()
+    await execCommand(transport, 'echo first')
+    expect(
+      await execCommand(transport, 'cat', {
+        stdin: Readable.from([Buffer.from('piped')])
+      })
+    ).toBe('piped')
+    expect(specs).toHaveLength(2)
+    expect(specs[1]?.args).toEqual(['-d', 'Ubuntu-24.04', '--exec', 'sh', '-c', expect.any(String)])
+    expect(specs[1]?.args?.[5]).toContain('cat')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to one wsl.exe per command when the loop cannot start', async () => {
+    const specs: PipedProcessSpec[] = []
+    const transport = createWslOrcadHostTransport({
+      target: {
+        kind: 'wsl',
+        id: 'env-1',
+        distro: 'Ubuntu-24.04',
+        label: 'Ubuntu'
+      },
+      spawn: (spec) => {
+        specs.push(spec)
+        const args = spec.args ?? []
+        const shellArgs = args.slice(args.indexOf('--exec') + 2)
+        // A guest without base64: the loop's self-test fails and it exits.
+        const child = spawnProcess({
+          program: 'sh',
+          args: shellArgs[2] === 'orca-wsl-exec-loop' ? ['-c', 'exit 98'] : shellArgs
+        })
+        children.push(child)
+        return child
+      }
+    })
+    transports.push(transport)
+    expect(await execCommand(transport, 'echo a')).toBe('a\n')
+    expect(await execCommand(transport, 'echo b')).toBe('b\n')
+    expect(specs).toHaveLength(3)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.test.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.test.ts
index c07dfe3b13b..ae8753689d4 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.test.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ function transportWith(children: FakeChild[]) {
   const specs: PipedProcessSpec[] = []
   const transport = createWslOrcadHostTransport({
     target: { kind: 'wsl', id: 'env-1', distro: 'Ubuntu-24.04', label: 'My Ubuntu' },
+    commandLoops: false,
     spawn: (spec) => {
       specs.push(spec)
       const next = children.shift()
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.ts
index 0d24b820ec2..e83cd4e52fc 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-orcad-host-transport.ts
@@ -9,12 +9,16 @@ import { createSshOperationAbortError, type SshExecOptions } from '../ssh/ssh-co
 import { writeStringViaExecStdin } from '../ssh/ssh-exec-stdin-file-transfer'
 import { resolveWslInteropSpawnCwd } from '../wsl-interop-spawn-directory'
 import { wrapWslCommandProcess } from './wsl-command-channel'
+import { WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_ARGV0, WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_SCRIPT } from './wsl-command-loop'
+import { createWslCommandLoopPool } from './wsl-command-loop-pool'
 import { uploadDirectoryIntoWsl, wslGuestSourcePath } from './wsl-directory-upload'
 import { resolveWslExecutablePath } from './wsl-executable-path'
 import type { WslOrcadHostTarget } from './wsl-orcad-host-target'
 
 export type WslOrcadHostTransport = OrcadHostTransport & {
   getTarget(): WslOrcadHostTarget
+  /** Ends the idle command loops now instead of after their idle timeout. */
+  dispose(): void
 }
 
 type WslOrcadHostTransportOptions = {
@@ -26,10 +30,13 @@ type WslOrcadHostTransportOptions = {
    * 20 MB). `guest-mount` copies from `/mnt/<drive>` when the guest can see the source.
    */
   uploadSource?: 'tar' | 'guest-mount'
+  /** Test seam: false runs every command on its own wsl.exe. */
+  commandLoops?: boolean
 }
 
 /**
- * orcad's host connection to a WSL distro: every exec is its own `wsl.exe --exec sh -c` child.
+ * orcad's host connection to a WSL distro: an exec that may write stdin is its own
+ * `wsl.exe --exec sh -c` child; a stdin-free one reuses a pooled command loop when it can.
  * The distro is never a Windows host and has no SFTP, so every transfer runs over exec.
  */
 export function createWslOrcadHostTransport(
@@ -37,24 +44,34 @@ export function createWslOrcadHostTransport(
 ): WslOrcadHostTransport {
   const spawn = options.spawn ?? spawnProcess
   const { target } = options
+  const spawnWsl = (shellArgs: string[]) => {
+    const program = resolveWslExecutablePath()
+    const args = buildWslExecArgs(target.distro, shellArgs)
+    if (commandLineLength([program, ...args]) > MAX_COMMAND_LINE_CHARS) {
+      throw new Error('WSL command exceeds the Windows command-line limit')
+    }
+    return spawn({
+      program,
+      args,
+      cwd: resolveWslInteropSpawnCwd(),
+      // Why WSL_UTF8: otherwise wsl.exe writes its own errors as UTF-16LE.
+      env: { ...process.env, WSL_UTF8: '1' }
+    })
+  }
+  const loops =
+    options.commandLoops === false
+      ? null
+      : createWslCommandLoopPool({
+          spawnLoop: (marker) =>
+            spawnWsl(['sh', '-c', WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_SCRIPT, WSL_COMMAND_LOOP_ARGV0, marker])
+        })
   const transport: WslOrcadHostTransport = {
     // `wrapCommand` is SSH-only: there is no login shell between wsl.exe and `sh -c`.
     async exec(command: string, execOptions?: SshExecOptions): Promise<RemoteCommandChannel> {
       if (execOptions?.signal?.aborted) {
         throw createSshOperationAbortError()
       }
-      const program = resolveWslExecutablePath()
-      const args = buildWslExecArgs(target.distro, ['sh', '-c', command])
-      if (commandLineLength([program, ...args]) > MAX_COMMAND_LINE_CHARS) {
-        throw new Error('WSL command exceeds the Windows command-line limit')
-      }
-      const child = spawn({
-        program,
-        args,
-        cwd: resolveWslInteropSpawnCwd(),
-        // Why WSL_UTF8: otherwise wsl.exe writes its own errors as UTF-16LE.
-        env: { ...process.env, WSL_UTF8: '1' }
-      })
+      const child = spawnWsl(['sh', '-c', command])
       const channel = wrapWslCommandProcess(child)
       // Like an SSH channel open: a child that never started rejects here, not as a stream error.
       const spawnError = (error: Error): void => {
@@ -68,6 +85,12 @@ export function createWslOrcadHostTransport(
       }
       return channel
     },
+    async execWithClosedStdin(command, execOptions) {
+      return (
+        (await loops?.run(command, execOptions?.signal)) ?? transport.exec(command, execOptions)
+      )
+    },
+    dispose: () => loops?.dispose(),
     // MEASURED: `nohup … &` dies when its `wsl.exe --exec` exits on a distro without systemd.
     orcadLaunchDetach: 'setsid',
     usesSystemSshTransport: () => false,
diff --git a/src/shared/orcad-idle-exit.ts b/src/shared/orcad-idle-exit.ts
index c0034117646..6ae458499f6 100644
--- a/src/shared/orcad-idle-exit.ts
+++ b/src/shared/orcad-idle-exit.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@
  */
 import { z } from 'zod'
 
-/**
- * Set only by a client's managed launch. Enables idle exit and names the host's activation
- * fence, so an update or rollback in flight keeps the server up. User-started servers never
- * carry it.
- */
-export const ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV = 'ORCA_ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT'
+export { ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV } from './orcad-managed-launch-env'
 /** Test-only quiet period; a client forwards it to the servers it launches. */
 export const ORCAD_E2E_IDLE_TIMEOUT_ENV = 'ORCA_E2E_ORCAD_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS'
 export const ORCAD_IDLE_EXIT_TIMEOUT_MS = 15 * 60_000
diff --git a/src/shared/orcad-managed-launch-env.ts b/src/shared/orcad-managed-launch-env.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3adc94a117e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/orcad-managed-launch-env.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+/**
+ * Set only by a client's managed launch. Enables idle exit and names the host's activation
+ * fence, so an update or rollback in flight keeps the server up. User-started servers never
+ * carry it. Dependency-free so the orcad launcher can read it.
+ */
+export const ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT_ENV = 'ORCA_ORCAD_MANAGED_ACTIVATION_ROOT'