diff --git a/store.go b/store.go
index cc5dfa2..d1baf39 100644
--- a/store.go
+++ b/store.go
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ type Store struct {
 	watchersLock               sync.RWMutex // protects watcher registration and dispatch
 	callbacksLock              sync.RWMutex // protects callback registration and dispatch
 	nextCallbackRegistrationID uint64       // monotonic ID for callback registrations
+
+	orphanWorkspacesLock sync.Mutex
+	orphanWorkspaces     []*Workspace
 }
 
 func (storeInstance *Store) ensureReady(operation string) error {
@@ -172,7 +175,7 @@ func openConfiguredStore(operation string, config StoreConfig) (*Store, error) {
 
 	// New() performs a non-destructive orphan scan so callers can discover
 	// leftover workspaces via RecoverOrphans().
-	discoverOrphanWorkspacePaths(defaultWorkspaceStateDirectory)
+	storeInstance.orphanWorkspaces = discoverOrphanWorkspaces(defaultWorkspaceStateDirectory, storeInstance)
 	storeInstance.startBackgroundPurge()
 	return storeInstance, nil
 }
@@ -254,6 +257,13 @@ func (storeInstance *Store) Close() error {
 	storeInstance.callbacks = nil
 	storeInstance.callbacksLock.Unlock()
 
+	storeInstance.orphanWorkspacesLock.Lock()
+	for _, orphanWorkspace := range storeInstance.orphanWorkspaces {
+		orphanWorkspace.Discard()
+	}
+	storeInstance.orphanWorkspaces = nil
+	storeInstance.orphanWorkspacesLock.Unlock()
+
 	if storeInstance.database == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/workspace.go b/workspace.go
index 8717013..45de1d5 100644
--- a/workspace.go
+++ b/workspace.go
@@ -168,6 +168,25 @@ func discoverOrphanWorkspacePaths(stateDirectory string) []string {
 	return orphanPaths
 }
 
+func discoverOrphanWorkspaces(stateDirectory string, backingStore *Store) []*Workspace {
+	filesystem := (&core.Fs{}).NewUnrestricted()
+	orphanWorkspaces := make([]*Workspace, 0)
+	for _, databasePath := range discoverOrphanWorkspacePaths(stateDirectory) {
+		workspaceDatabase, err := openWorkspaceDatabase(databasePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		orphanWorkspaces = append(orphanWorkspaces, &Workspace{
+			name:         workspaceNameFromPath(stateDirectory, databasePath),
+			backingStore: backingStore,
+			database:     workspaceDatabase,
+			databasePath: databasePath,
+			filesystem:   filesystem,
+		})
+	}
+	return orphanWorkspaces
+}
+
 func workspaceNameFromPath(stateDirectory, databasePath string) string {
 	relativePath := core.TrimPrefix(databasePath, joinPath(stateDirectory, ""))
 	return core.TrimSuffix(relativePath, ".duckdb")
@@ -185,6 +204,16 @@ func (storeInstance *Store) RecoverOrphans(stateDirectory string) []*Workspace {
 		stateDirectory = defaultWorkspaceStateDirectory
 	}
 
+	if stateDirectory == defaultWorkspaceStateDirectory {
+		storeInstance.orphanWorkspacesLock.Lock()
+		cachedWorkspaces := storeInstance.orphanWorkspaces
+		storeInstance.orphanWorkspaces = nil
+		storeInstance.orphanWorkspacesLock.Unlock()
+		if len(cachedWorkspaces) > 0 {
+			return cachedWorkspaces
+		}
+	}
+
 	filesystem := (&core.Fs{}).NewUnrestricted()
 	var orphanWorkspaces []*Workspace
 	for _, databasePath := range discoverOrphanWorkspacePaths(stateDirectory) {
diff --git a/workspace_test.go b/workspace_test.go
index 78303e5..d3f04e4 100644
--- a/workspace_test.go
+++ b/workspace_test.go
@@ -222,3 +222,27 @@ func TestWorkspace_New_Good_LeavesOrphanedWorkspacesForRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.False(t, testFilesystem().Exists(orphanDatabasePath+"-wal"))
 	assert.False(t, testFilesystem().Exists(orphanDatabasePath+"-shm"))
 }
+
+func TestWorkspace_New_Good_CachesOrphansDuringConstruction(t *testing.T) {
+	stateDirectory := useWorkspaceStateDirectory(t)
+	requireCoreOK(t, testFilesystem().EnsureDir(stateDirectory))
+
+	orphanDatabasePath := workspaceFilePath(stateDirectory, "orphan-session")
+	orphanDatabase, err := openWorkspaceDatabase(orphanDatabasePath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, orphanDatabase.Close())
+	assert.True(t, testFilesystem().Exists(orphanDatabasePath))
+
+	storeInstance, err := New(":memory:")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer storeInstance.Close()
+
+	requireCoreOK(t, testFilesystem().DeleteAll(stateDirectory))
+	assert.False(t, testFilesystem().Exists(orphanDatabasePath))
+
+	orphans := storeInstance.RecoverOrphans(stateDirectory)
+	require.Len(t, orphans, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "orphan-session", orphans[0].Name())
+	assert.Equal(t, map[string]any{}, orphans[0].Aggregate())
+	orphans[0].Discard()
+}