diff --git a/src/fabledassistant/app.py b/src/fabledassistant/app.py
index 592805b..985d56e 100644
--- a/src/fabledassistant/app.py
+++ b/src/fabledassistant/app.py
@@ -179,34 +179,64 @@ def create_app() -> Quart:
             except Exception:
                 logger.warning("Failed to warm model '%s'", model, exc_info=True)
 
+        async def _prime_kv_cache(user_id: int, model: str) -> None:
+            """Send a minimal chat request to prime Ollama's KV cache with the user's system prompt.
+
+            This ensures the next real user message only needs to process its own tokens
+            rather than the full ~5,600-token system prompt, cutting TTFT from ~25s to <1s.
+            """
+            try:
+                from fabledassistant.services.llm import build_context
+                messages, _ = await build_context(
+                    user_id=user_id,
+                    history=[],
+                    current_note_id=None,
+                    user_message=" ",
+                )
+                async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=120.0) as client:
+                    await client.post(
+                        f"{Config.OLLAMA_URL}/api/chat",
+                        json={
+                            "model": model,
+                            "messages": messages,
+                            "stream": False,
+                            "options": {"num_predict": 1},
+                            "keep_alive": "2h",
+                        },
+                    )
+                logger.info("Primed KV cache for user %d with model '%s'", user_id, model)
+            except Exception:
+                logger.warning("Failed to prime KV cache for user %d", user_id, exc_info=True)
+
         async def _warm_user_models() -> None:
             """
-            Warm whichever chat model(s) users have selected in Settings.
+            Warm whichever chat model(s) users have selected in Settings, then prime
+            the KV cache with each user's system prompt so the first real message is fast.
 
             Only warms models that are already installed in Ollama — never auto-pulls.
             Falls back silently if no user preferences exist or Ollama is unreachable.
             """
-            from sqlalchemy import select as sa_select, distinct
+            from sqlalchemy import select as sa_select
 
             from fabledassistant.models import async_session
             from fabledassistant.models.setting import Setting
 
-            # 1. Collect all distinct default_model values users have saved.
+            # 1. Collect (user_id, model) pairs for all users with a saved default_model.
             try:
                 async with async_session() as session:
                     rows = await session.execute(
-                        sa_select(distinct(Setting.value)).where(
+                        sa_select(Setting.user_id, Setting.value).where(
                             Setting.key == "default_model",
                             Setting.value.isnot(None),
                             Setting.value != "",
                         )
                     )
-                    user_models: set[str] = {r for (r,) in rows}
+                    user_model_pairs: list[tuple[int, str]] = list(rows)
             except Exception:
                 logger.debug("Could not read user model preferences from DB", exc_info=True)
                 return
 
-            if not user_models:
+            if not user_model_pairs:
                 logger.debug("No user model preferences found; skipping warm-up")
                 return
 
@@ -220,11 +250,15 @@ def create_app() -> Quart:
                 logger.debug("Could not reach Ollama to check installed models", exc_info=True)
                 return
 
-            # 3. Warm only the intersection (installed AND user-preferred).
-            for model in user_models:
+            # 3. Warm each unique model, then prime KV cache per user.
+            warmed: set[str] = set()
+            for user_id_val, model in user_model_pairs:
                 base = model.removesuffix(":latest")
                 if model in installed or f"{base}:latest" in installed or base in installed:
-                    await _warm_model(model)
+                    if model not in warmed:
+                        await _warm_model(model)
+                        warmed.add(model)
+                    await _prime_kv_cache(user_id_val, model)
                 else:
                     logger.info(
                         "User-preferred model '%s' is not installed; skipping warm-up "