diff --git a/system/services/fat/engine.zig b/system/services/fat/engine.zig
index 43c0c11..bae264a 100644
--- a/system/services/fat/engine.zig
+++ b/system/services/fat/engine.zig
@@ -70,6 +70,20 @@ pub const Node = struct {
 const sector_size = 512;
 const entries_per_sector = sector_size / @sizeOf(on_disk.DirectoryEntry); // 16
 
+// A small write-through cache of single-sector (metadata) accesses: FAT sectors,
+// directory sectors, and directory-entry writebacks. Its payoff is repeated scans
+// — resolving many paths under the same directory (a logging burst opening dozens
+// of files under /var/log/<stamp>/) re-reads the same directory and FAT sectors,
+// which now come from RAM instead of a USB round trip each. Bulk file data (the
+// multi-sector run path) bypasses the cache — it is large and not re-read — and a
+// run write invalidates any overlapping cached sector to stay coherent.
+const block_cache_lines = 16;
+const CacheLine = struct {
+    lba: u64 = 0,
+    valid: bool = false,
+    data: [sector_size]u8 = undefined,
+};
+
 pub const FileSystem = struct {
     device: BlockDevice,
     geometry: on_disk.Geometry,
@@ -95,23 +109,75 @@ pub const FileSystem = struct {
     // scan serve consecutive entries from one device read; every write through
     // the sector keeps the cache coherent (writeFatBytes updates it in place).
     fat_sector_lba: u64 = 0,
+    // Write-through single-sector cache (see CacheLine). Keyed by filesystem-
+    // relative LBA; round-robin eviction.
+    cache: [block_cache_lines]CacheLine = [_]CacheLine{.{}} ** block_cache_lines,
+    cache_cursor: u32 = 0,
 
-    // Every filesystem-relative sector access adds the partition base.
+    // --- single-sector cache ------------------------------------------------
+
+    fn cacheFind(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64) ?*CacheLine {
+        for (&self.cache) |*line| {
+            if (line.valid and line.lba == lba) return line;
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+    // Install `data` (one sector) for `lba`: refresh an existing line or evict the
+    // next round-robin slot. Called on every device read (populate) and write
+    // (write-through), so a hit always mirrors the device.
+    fn cacheInstall(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64, data: []const u8) void {
+        const line = self.cacheFind(lba) orelse blk: {
+            const slot = &self.cache[self.cache_cursor];
+            self.cache_cursor = (self.cache_cursor + 1) % block_cache_lines;
+            slot.valid = true;
+            slot.lba = lba;
+            break :blk slot;
+        };
+        @memcpy(&line.data, data[0..sector_size]);
+    }
+    fn cacheInvalidateRange(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64, count: u32) void {
+        for (&self.cache) |*line| {
+            if (line.valid and line.lba >= lba and line.lba < lba + count) line.valid = false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Every filesystem-relative sector access adds the partition base. Single-sector
+    // reads/writes go through the cache; the write path is write-through.
     fn blockRead(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64, buffer: []u8) bool {
-        return self.device.readBlock(self.base_lba + lba, buffer);
+        if (self.cacheFind(lba)) |line| {
+            @memcpy(buffer[0..sector_size], &line.data);
+            return true;
+        }
+        if (!self.device.readBlock(self.base_lba + lba, buffer)) return false;
+        self.cacheInstall(lba, buffer);
+        return true;
     }
     fn blockWrite(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64, buffer: []const u8) bool {
-        return self.device.writeBlock(self.base_lba + lba, buffer);
+        if (!self.device.writeBlock(self.base_lba + lba, buffer)) return false;
+        self.cacheInstall(lba, buffer);
+        return true;
+    }
+    // Write one sector without caching it: for bulk cluster-zeroing, whose sectors
+    // are write-once and would only evict useful metadata. Still invalidates any
+    // stale cached copy so a later read sees the zeros.
+    fn blockWriteUncached(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64, buffer: []const u8) bool {
+        if (!self.device.writeBlock(self.base_lba + lba, buffer)) return false;
+        self.cacheInvalidateRange(lba, 1);
+        return true;
     }
     // Move `count` contiguous full sectors in one device command. `buffer` must be
     // exactly count*sector_size and sector-aligned in meaning (whole sectors only);
     // callers use these for the aligned middle of a file transfer, falling back to
-    // the single-sector read-modify-write path for partial head/tail sectors.
+    // the single-sector read-modify-write path for partial head/tail sectors. Bulk
+    // data bypasses the cache; a run write invalidates any overlapping cached
+    // sector so metadata that happens to share the range never goes stale.
     fn blockReadRun(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64, count: u32, buffer: []u8) bool {
         return self.device.readBlocks(self.base_lba + lba, count, buffer);
     }
     fn blockWriteRun(self: *FileSystem, lba: u64, count: u32, buffer: []const u8) bool {
-        return self.device.writeBlocks(self.base_lba + lba, count, buffer);
+        if (!self.device.writeBlocks(self.base_lba + lba, count, buffer)) return false;
+        self.cacheInvalidateRange(lba, count);
+        return true;
     }
 
     /// Mount the filesystem on `device`: either a bare FAT with its boot sector at
@@ -344,7 +410,9 @@ pub const FileSystem = struct {
         var zero = [_]u8{0} ** sector_size;
         var s: u32 = 0;
         while (s < self.geometry.sectors_per_cluster) : (s += 1) {
-            _ = self.blockWrite(self.clusterSector(cluster, s), &zero);
+            // Uncached: a freshly-zeroed cluster is write-once bulk; caching its
+            // sectors would only evict live metadata.
+            _ = self.blockWriteUncached(self.clusterSector(cluster, s), &zero);
         }
     }
 
@@ -1233,6 +1301,40 @@ test "create, write, read back a file through the engine" {
     try std.testing.expect(fs.listEntry(fs.rootNode(), 1) == null);
 }
 
+test "the block cache serves repeated metadata reads and stays write-through coherent" {
+    const allocator = std.testing.allocator;
+    const bytes = try allocator.alloc(u8, 5000 * sector_size);
+    defer allocator.free(bytes);
+    formatFat16(bytes);
+
+    var disk = RamDisk{ .bytes = bytes };
+    var fs = FileSystem.mount(disk.device()).?;
+    var node = fs.createFile(fs.rootNode(), "CACHE.TXT").?;
+    var small = [_]u8{0x5A} ** 64;
+    _ = fs.writeFile(&node, 0, &small);
+
+    // First resolve warms the cache; the second re-reads the same directory (and
+    // FAT) sectors, which must now come entirely from RAM — zero device reads.
+    _ = fs.resolve("/CACHE.TXT").?;
+    disk.reads = 0;
+    const again = fs.resolve("/CACHE.TXT").?;
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), disk.reads);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(u32, small.len), again.size);
+
+    // Write-through coherence: a mid-file overwrite reaches the device (a fresh
+    // mount, cold cache, reads the new bytes back) and the cache reflects it too.
+    var patch = [_]u8{0xC3} ** 16;
+    _ = fs.writeFile(&node, 16, &patch);
+    var cached_back: [16]u8 = undefined;
+    _ = fs.readFile(fs.resolve("/CACHE.TXT").?, 16, &cached_back);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, &patch, &cached_back);
+
+    var cold = FileSystem.mount(disk.device()).?; // cold cache, reads from device
+    var device_back: [16]u8 = undefined;
+    _ = cold.readFile(cold.resolve("/CACHE.TXT").?, 16, &device_back);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, &patch, &device_back);
+}
+
 test "multi-sector transfers coalesce and round-trip identically" {
     const allocator = std.testing.allocator;
     const bytes = try allocator.alloc(u8, 8000 * sector_size);