diff --git a/backend/src/agents/main_agent/session/compaction_summary.py b/backend/src/agents/main_agent/session/compaction_summary.py
index 5d7c51384..12a8f6e01 100644
--- a/backend/src/agents/main_agent/session/compaction_summary.py
+++ b/backend/src/agents/main_agent/session/compaction_summary.py
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@
 import logging
 import os
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import List, Optional, Sequence, Tuple
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Sequence, Tuple
+
+from apis.shared.aws_clients import get_client
 
 from .compaction_policy import CHARS_PER_TOKEN
 
@@ -212,6 +214,17 @@ def _salvage(text: str, budget_tokens: int) -> Optional[str]:
     return _keep_head_lines(head, budget_tokens) if head else None
 
 
+def _converse(region: Optional[str], **kwargs: Any) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Run in a worker thread, so a first-use client build stays off the event loop.
+
+    The client is process-cached: one per call paid botocore's service-model
+    load (~250ms the first time in a process) and, every time, a fresh
+    connection pool — a new TCP+TLS handshake per compaction call.
+    """
+    region = region or os.environ.get("AWS_REGION", "us-west-2")
+    return get_client("bedrock-runtime", region).converse(**kwargs)
+
+
 async def _compress(
     records: Sequence[str],
     budget_tokens: int,
@@ -224,17 +237,12 @@ async def _compress(
     if not text.strip():
         return None, False
     try:
-        import boto3
-    except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - dev without boto3
-        return None, False
-    try:
-        region = region or os.environ.get("AWS_REGION", "us-west-2")
-        client = boto3.client("bedrock-runtime", region_name=region)
         # ~0.75 words/token; aim well under the budget so the chars/4 check
         # below passes with margin.
         word_budget = max(150, int(budget_tokens * 0.55))
         response = await asyncio.to_thread(
-            client.converse,
+            _converse,
+            region,
             modelId=model_id,
             system=[{"text": _COMPRESSION_SYSTEM_PROMPT.replace("{word_budget}", f"{word_budget:,}")}],
             messages=[{"role": "user", "content": [{"text": "Summary notes, oldest first:\n\n" + text}]}],
@@ -304,14 +312,9 @@ async def extract_with_model(
     if not text.strip():
         return None
     try:
-        import boto3
-    except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - dev without boto3
-        return None
-    try:
-        region = region or os.environ.get("AWS_REGION", "us-west-2")
-        client = boto3.client("bedrock-runtime", region_name=region)
         response = await asyncio.to_thread(
-            client.converse,
+            _converse,
+            region,
             modelId=model_id,
             system=[{"text": _EXTRACTION_SYSTEM_PROMPT}],
             messages=[{"role": "user", "content": [{"text": "Summary notes, oldest first:\n\n" + text}]}],
diff --git a/backend/src/apis/shared/embeddings/bedrock_embeddings.py b/backend/src/apis/shared/embeddings/bedrock_embeddings.py
index 159b4e649..cb5495694 100644
--- a/backend/src/apis/shared/embeddings/bedrock_embeddings.py
+++ b/backend/src/apis/shared/embeddings/bedrock_embeddings.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import json
 import logging
 import os
+import threading
 from typing import Any, Dict, List
 
 import boto3
@@ -33,6 +34,27 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# One Bedrock client for every embedding, built on first use. A client per call
+# cost ~250ms the first time in a process (botocore loads the service model) and,
+# every time, a fresh connection pool — a new TCP+TLS handshake on each knowledge
+# base search, which sits in front of the model's first token. boto3 clients are
+# thread-safe, so the executor workers below can share it. Held here rather than
+# in `apis.shared.aws_clients` because the kb-sync and rag-ingestion Lambda
+# images copy this package without that module.
+_bedrock_runtime_client: Any = None
+# Guards the first build: boto3's default session is not thread-safe, and
+# parallel embeddings can reach it from separate worker threads at once.
+_bedrock_runtime_client_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+
+def _get_bedrock_runtime_client() -> Any:
+    global _bedrock_runtime_client
+    if _bedrock_runtime_client is None:
+        with _bedrock_runtime_client_lock:
+            if _bedrock_runtime_client is None:
+                _bedrock_runtime_client = boto3.client("bedrock-runtime", region_name=AWS_REGION)
+    return _bedrock_runtime_client
+
 
 def _get_vector_store_bucket() -> str:
     """Get vector store bucket name, validating if not set"""
@@ -74,18 +96,17 @@ async def generate_embeddings(chunks: List[str]) -> List[List[float]]:
     Raises:
         Exception: If Bedrock API call fails
     """
-    bedrock_runtime = boto3.client("bedrock-runtime", region_name=AWS_REGION)
-
     logger.info(f"Generating embeddings for {len(chunks)} chunks in parallel...")
 
     async def get_single_embedding(chunk: str, index: int) -> List[float]:
         """Generate embedding for a single chunk"""
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
 
-        # Run synchronous boto3 call in thread pool to avoid blocking
+        # Run synchronous boto3 call in thread pool to avoid blocking; the
+        # client is fetched there too, so its first build stays off the loop.
         response = await loop.run_in_executor(
             None,
-            lambda: bedrock_runtime.invoke_model(
+            lambda: _get_bedrock_runtime_client().invoke_model(
                 modelId=BEDROCK_EMBEDDING_CONFIG["model_id"],
                 contentType="application/json",
                 accept="application/json",
diff --git a/backend/src/apis/shared/files/document_digest.py b/backend/src/apis/shared/files/document_digest.py
index fdb7a78a5..79e4cad36 100644
--- a/backend/src/apis/shared/files/document_digest.py
+++ b/backend/src/apis/shared/files/document_digest.py
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
+from apis.shared.aws_clients import get_client
+
 from .document_read import _open_pdf, _pdf_page_text, docx_paragraphs, document_format_for
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -257,18 +259,24 @@ def _abstract_prompt(outline: DocumentDigest, sample: str) -> str:
     return "\n".join(lines)
 
 
+def _converse(region: str, **kwargs: Any) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Run in a worker thread, so a first-use client build stays off the event loop.
+
+    The client is process-cached: one per upload paid botocore's service-model
+    load (~250ms the first time in a process) and, every time, a fresh
+    connection pool — a new TCP+TLS handshake per abstract.
+    """
+    return get_client("bedrock-runtime", region).converse(**kwargs)
+
+
 async def generate_abstract(outline: DocumentDigest, sample: str, model_id: str = DOCUMENT_DIGEST_MODEL_ID) -> Optional[str]:
     """3–5 sentences from the cheap model, or ``None`` (never raises)."""
     if not sample.strip():
         return None
     try:
-        import boto3
-    except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
-        return None
-    try:
-        client = boto3.client("bedrock-runtime", region_name=os.environ.get("AWS_REGION", "us-west-2"))
         response = await asyncio.to_thread(
-            client.converse,
+            _converse,
+            os.environ.get("AWS_REGION", "us-west-2"),
             modelId=model_id,
             messages=[{"role": "user", "content": [{"text": _abstract_prompt(outline, sample)}]}],
             system=[{"text": _ABSTRACT_SYSTEM_PROMPT}],
diff --git a/backend/src/apis/shared/tool_summaries/summarizer.py b/backend/src/apis/shared/tool_summaries/summarizer.py
index 34a37d448..777c1bd6c 100644
--- a/backend/src/apis/shared/tool_summaries/summarizer.py
+++ b/backend/src/apis/shared/tool_summaries/summarizer.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 import os
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
 
+from apis.shared.aws_clients import get_client
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 # Nova Micro: the cheapest Bedrock model that reliably follows a one-line
@@ -140,6 +142,16 @@ def _clean(text: str) -> str:
     return summary.rstrip(".").strip()
 
 
+def _converse(region: str, **kwargs: Any) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Run in a worker thread, so a first-use client build stays off the event loop.
+
+    The client is process-cached: one per batch paid botocore's service-model
+    load (~250ms the first time in a process) and, every time, a fresh
+    connection pool — a new TCP+TLS handshake per summary.
+    """
+    return get_client("bedrock-runtime", region).converse(**kwargs)
+
+
 async def summarize_tool_batch(calls: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Optional[str]:
     """Summarize one finished tool batch, or return ``None``.
 
@@ -157,19 +169,12 @@ async def summarize_tool_batch(calls: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Optional[str]:
         return None
 
     try:
-        import boto3
-    except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - dev without boto3
-        return None
-
-    try:
-        region = os.environ.get("AWS_REGION", "us-west-2")
-        client = boto3.client("bedrock-runtime", region_name=region)
-
         # boto3's converse() is synchronous — awaited inline it would block
         # the event loop for the whole Nova round trip, stalling the agent
         # stream this task runs concurrently with.
         response = await asyncio.to_thread(
-            client.converse,
+            _converse,
+            os.environ.get("AWS_REGION", "us-west-2"),
             modelId=_MODEL_ID,
             messages=[{"role": "user", "content": [{"text": _build_prompt(calls)}]}],
             system=[{"text": _SUMMARY_SYSTEM_PROMPT}],
diff --git a/backend/tests/agents/main_agent/session/test_compaction_summary.py b/backend/tests/agents/main_agent/session/test_compaction_summary.py
index 344f6bc89..12c278f3f 100644
--- a/backend/tests/agents/main_agent/session/test_compaction_summary.py
+++ b/backend/tests/agents/main_agent/session/test_compaction_summary.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     compress_with_model,
     truncate_records_newest_first,
 )
+from apis.shared import aws_clients
 
 from .conftest import make_conversation
 
@@ -23,6 +24,14 @@
 BUDGET = 100  # tokens → 400 chars
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _fresh_bedrock_client():
+    """The Bedrock client is cached per process; each test builds its own."""
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+    yield
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def bedrock(monkeypatch):
     """Patch boto3 so no test reaches Bedrock; returns the converse mock."""
@@ -105,6 +114,19 @@ async def test_a_refused_generation_falls_back_and_is_never_the_summary(self, be
         assert "Sorry" not in result.text and result.text.startswith("new")
         assert await compress_with_model(records, BUDGET, model_id="m") is None
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_calls_reuse_one_bedrock_client_per_region(self, bedrock):
+        """A client per call paid botocore's model load and a fresh TLS handshake."""
+        bedrock.return_value = _model_reply("summary")
+        factory = sys.modules["boto3"].client
+
+        await compress_with_model(["r" * 900], BUDGET, model_id="m", region="us-west-2")
+        await compress_with_model(["r" * 900], BUDGET, model_id="m", region="us-west-2")
+        await compress_with_model(["r" * 900], BUDGET, model_id="m", region="us-east-1")
+
+        assert [c.kwargs["region_name"] for c in factory.call_args_list] == ["us-west-2", "us-east-1"]
+        assert bedrock.call_count == 3
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_model_overshoot_is_tail_trimmed(self, bedrock):
         bedrock.return_value = _model_reply("y" * 2000 + "END")
diff --git a/backend/tests/apis/shared/tool_summaries/test_summarizer.py b/backend/tests/apis/shared/tool_summaries/test_summarizer.py
index 40e9f13c8..889b00556 100644
--- a/backend/tests/apis/shared/tool_summaries/test_summarizer.py
+++ b/backend/tests/apis/shared/tool_summaries/test_summarizer.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from apis.shared import aws_clients
 from apis.shared.tool_summaries.summarizer import (
     _build_prompt,
     _clean,
@@ -50,6 +51,14 @@ def summaries_enabled(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("TOOL_SUMMARIES_ENABLED", "true")
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _fresh_bedrock_client():
+    """The Bedrock client is cached per process; each test builds its own."""
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+    yield
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def bedrock(monkeypatch):
     """Patch boto3.client so no test ever reaches Bedrock."""
@@ -60,6 +69,19 @@ def bedrock(monkeypatch):
     return client
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_batches_reuse_one_bedrock_client(bedrock):
+    """A client per batch paid botocore's model load and a fresh TLS handshake."""
+    bedrock.converse.return_value = _response("Found the BIO 101 course")
+    factory = __import__("sys").modules["boto3"].client
+
+    for _ in range(3):
+        assert await summarize_tool_batch(_calls()) == "Found the BIO 101 course"
+
+    assert factory.call_count == 1
+    assert bedrock.converse.call_count == 3
+
+
 # -- the truncation regression -------------------------------------------
 
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/shared/test_bedrock_embeddings_client.py b/backend/tests/shared/test_bedrock_embeddings_client.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..03afbc5fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/shared/test_bedrock_embeddings_client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""generate_embeddings shares one bedrock-runtime client across calls."""
+
+import io
+import json
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from apis.shared.embeddings import bedrock_embeddings as be
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _fresh_bedrock_client(monkeypatch):
+    """The Bedrock client is cached per process; each test builds its own."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(be, "_bedrock_runtime_client", None)
+
+
+def _client() -> MagicMock:
+    client = MagicMock()
+    client.invoke_model.side_effect = lambda **kwargs: {
+        "body": io.BytesIO(json.dumps({"embedding": [0.1, 0.2]}).encode())
+    }
+    return client
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_calls_reuse_one_bedrock_client():
+    """A client per call paid botocore's model load and a fresh TLS handshake on
+    every knowledge base search, ahead of the model's first token."""
+    client = _client()
+    with patch.object(be.boto3, "client", return_value=client) as factory:
+        for _ in range(3):
+            assert await be.generate_embeddings(["a", "b"]) == [[0.1, 0.2], [0.1, 0.2]]
+
+    factory.assert_called_once_with("bedrock-runtime", region_name=be.AWS_REGION)
+    assert client.invoke_model.call_count == 6
diff --git a/backend/tests/shared/test_document_digest.py b/backend/tests/shared/test_document_digest.py
index 49b426af2..251637071 100644
--- a/backend/tests/shared/test_document_digest.py
+++ b/backend/tests/shared/test_document_digest.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from apis.shared import aws_clients
 from apis.shared.files import document_digest as dd
 from tests.shared.test_document_read import build_docx, build_pdf
 
@@ -123,9 +124,19 @@ def _bedrock(monkeypatch, text="A crisp abstract.", stop="end_turn", fail=False)
     boto3 = MagicMock()
     boto3.client.return_value = client
     monkeypatch.setitem(__import__("sys").modules, "boto3", boto3)
+    # The client is cached per process; drop the previous fake so this one is built.
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
     return client
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _fresh_bedrock_client():
+    """The Bedrock client is cached per process; each test builds its own."""
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+    yield
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+
+
 class TestAbstract:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_calls_the_cheap_model_with_outline_and_sample(self, monkeypatch):
@@ -153,6 +164,18 @@ async def test_a_refused_generation_is_none(self, monkeypatch, stop):
         _bedrock(monkeypatch, text="Sorry, the model cannot answer this.", stop=stop)
         assert await dd.generate_abstract(dd.DocumentDigest(), "text") is None
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_abstracts_reuse_one_bedrock_client(self, monkeypatch):
+        """A client per upload paid botocore's model load and a fresh TLS handshake."""
+        client = _bedrock(monkeypatch)
+        factory = __import__("sys").modules["boto3"].client
+
+        for _ in range(3):
+            assert await dd.generate_abstract(dd.DocumentDigest(), "text") == "A crisp abstract."
+
+        assert factory.call_count == 1
+        assert client.converse.call_count == 3
+
 
 class TestBuild:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/backend/tests/shared/test_side_channel_inference_config.py b/backend/tests/shared/test_side_channel_inference_config.py
index 5d241fe7c..5a940537e 100644
--- a/backend/tests/shared/test_side_channel_inference_config.py
+++ b/backend/tests/shared/test_side_channel_inference_config.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 import apis.inference_api.chat.service as chat_service
+from apis.shared import aws_clients
 from apis.shared.files import document_digest as dd
 from apis.shared.tool_summaries.summarizer import summarize_tool_batch
 
@@ -33,6 +34,16 @@ def _patch_boto3_module(monkeypatch, client: MagicMock) -> None:
     module = MagicMock()
     module.client.return_value = client
     monkeypatch.setitem(__import__("sys").modules, "boto3", module)
+    # The side channels share a process-cached client; drop the previous fake.
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _fresh_bedrock_client():
+    """The Bedrock client is cached per process; each test builds its own."""
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
+    yield
+    aws_clients.reset_cached_clients()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio