diff --git a/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.test.ts b/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.test.ts
index 43ca40e9c7c..f2e646af8f2 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as NodeServices from "@effect/platform-node/NodeServices";
 import { assert, it } from "@effect/vitest";
 import * as ConfigProvider from "effect/ConfigProvider";
 import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";
+import * as Fiber from "effect/Fiber";
 import * as FileSystem from "effect/FileSystem";
 import * as Layer from "effect/Layer";
 import * as Path from "effect/Path";
@@ -155,6 +156,65 @@ it.effect("discovers editors through the service API", () =>
   }).pipe(Effect.scoped, Effect.provide(NodeServices.layer)),
 );
 
+it.effect("caches editor discovery per service instance", () =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    const fileSystem = yield* FileSystem.FileSystem;
+    const path = yield* Path.Path;
+    const binDir = yield* fileSystem.makeTempDirectoryScoped({ prefix: "t3-editors-" });
+    const codePath = path.join(binDir, "code.CMD");
+    yield* fileSystem.writeFileString(codePath, "@echo off\r\n");
+
+    yield* Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const launcher = yield* ExternalLauncher.ExternalLauncher;
+
+      const first = yield* launcher.resolveAvailableEditors();
+      assert.equal(first.includes("vscode"), true);
+
+      // A fresh probe would no longer find the command; the cached result must.
+      yield* fileSystem.remove(codePath);
+      const second = yield* launcher.resolveAvailableEditors();
+      assert.deepEqual(second, first);
+    }).pipe(
+      Effect.provide(
+        testLayer({
+          platform: "win32",
+          env: { PATH: binDir, PATHEXT: ".COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD" },
+        }),
+      ),
+    );
+  }).pipe(Effect.scoped, Effect.provide(NodeServices.layer)),
+);
+
+it.effect("keeps discovery usable after a caller gives up", () =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    const fileSystem = yield* FileSystem.FileSystem;
+    const path = yield* Path.Path;
+    const binDir = yield* fileSystem.makeTempDirectoryScoped({ prefix: "t3-editors-" });
+    yield* fileSystem.writeFileString(path.join(binDir, "code.CMD"), "@echo off\r\n");
+
+    yield* Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const launcher = yield* ExternalLauncher.ExternalLauncher;
+
+      // Mirrors ws.ts timing discovery out: the first caller is interrupted
+      // mid-scan. That must not memoize the interruption for later callers.
+      const abandoned = yield* Effect.forkChild(launcher.resolveAvailableEditors(), {
+        startImmediately: true,
+      });
+      yield* Fiber.interrupt(abandoned);
+
+      const editors = yield* launcher.resolveAvailableEditors();
+      assert.equal(editors.includes("vscode"), true);
+    }).pipe(
+      Effect.provide(
+        testLayer({
+          platform: "win32",
+          env: { PATH: binDir, PATHEXT: ".COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD" },
+        }),
+      ),
+    );
+  }).pipe(Effect.scoped, Effect.provide(NodeServices.layer)),
+);
+
 it.effect("rejects unknown editors through the service API", () =>
   Effect.gen(function* () {
     const launcher = yield* ExternalLauncher.ExternalLauncher;
diff --git a/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.ts b/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.ts
index 9c2f0e417d3..f7752ebcd47 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/process/externalLauncher.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import * as Config from "effect/Config";
 import * as Context from "effect/Context";
 import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";
 import * as Encoding from "effect/Encoding";
+import * as Fiber from "effect/Fiber";
 import * as FileSystem from "effect/FileSystem";
 import * as Layer from "effect/Layer";
 import * as Option from "effect/Option";
@@ -264,24 +265,16 @@ const buildAvailableEditors = Effect.fn("externalLauncher.buildAvailableEditors"
   platform: NodeJS.Platform,
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
 ): Effect.fn.Return<ReadonlyArray<EditorId>, never, FileSystem.FileSystem | Path.Path> {
-  const available: EditorId[] = [];
-
-  for (const editor of EDITORS) {
-    if (editor.commands === null) {
-      const command = fileManagerCommandForPlatform(platform);
-      if (yield* isCommandAvailable(command, { env })) {
-        available.push(editor.id);
-      }
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    const command = yield* resolveAvailableCommand(editor.commands, env);
-    if (Option.isSome(command)) {
-      available.push(editor.id);
-    }
-  }
+  const availability = yield* Effect.forEach(
+    EDITORS,
+    (editor) =>
+      editor.commands === null
+        ? isCommandAvailable(fileManagerCommandForPlatform(platform), { env })
+        : Effect.map(resolveAvailableCommand(editor.commands, env), Option.isSome),
+    { concurrency: EDITORS.length },
+  );
 
-  return available;
+  return EDITORS.filter((_, index) => availability[index]).map((editor) => editor.id);
 });
 
 const resolveBrowserLaunch = Effect.fn("externalLauncher.resolveBrowserLaunch")(function* (
@@ -443,8 +436,18 @@ export const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
       Effect.provideService(Path.Path, path),
     );
 
+  // Discovery probes every editor command across PATH, which can take seconds on
+  // hosts with long PATHs. Run it once in a detached fiber and let callers join:
+  // a caller that gives up (ws.ts times discovery out) then cancels only its own
+  // wait, leaving the scan to finish and serve everyone who asks afterwards.
+  const editorDiscovery = yield* Effect.cached(
+    Effect.uninterruptible(
+      Effect.forkDetach(provideCommandResolutionServices(resolveAvailableEditors())),
+    ),
+  );
+
   return ExternalLauncher.of({
-    resolveAvailableEditors: () => provideCommandResolutionServices(resolveAvailableEditors()),
+    resolveAvailableEditors: () => Effect.flatMap(editorDiscovery, Fiber.join),
     launchBrowser: (target) =>
       launchBrowser(target).pipe(
         Effect.provideService(ChildProcessSpawner.ChildProcessSpawner, spawner),