diff --git a/src/usage/log.ts b/src/usage/log.ts
index aadeb1648b..ef2857918e 100644
--- a/src/usage/log.ts
+++ b/src/usage/log.ts
@@ -852,18 +852,41 @@ function normalizeUsageEntry(entry: PersistedUsageEntry): PersistedUsageEntry {
   };
 }
 
+let ensuredUsageLogDir: string | null = null;
+let ensuredUsageLogFile: string | null = null;
+
 function ensureUsageLogDir(): void {
   const dir = getConfigDir();
+  if (ensuredUsageLogDir === dir) return;
   recordOwnedConfigPath(dir, usageLogPath());
   mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
   try { chmodSync(dir, 0o700); } catch { /* best-effort on platforms that ignore chmod */ }
+  ensuredUsageLogDir = dir;
 }
 
 export function appendUsageEntry(entry: PersistedUsageEntry): void {
-  ensureUsageLogDir();
+  const line = `${JSON.stringify(normalizeUsageEntry(entry))}\n`;
   const path = usageLogPath();
-  appendFileSync(path, `${JSON.stringify(normalizeUsageEntry(entry))}\n`, { encoding: "utf-8", mode: 0o600 });
-  try { chmodSync(path, 0o600); } catch { /* best-effort on platforms that ignore chmod */ }
+  const doAppend = (): void => {
+    ensureUsageLogDir();
+    const fileAlreadyEnsured = ensuredUsageLogFile === path;
+    appendFileSync(path, line, { encoding: "utf-8", mode: 0o600 });
+    if (!fileAlreadyEnsured) {
+      try { chmodSync(path, 0o600); } catch { /* best-effort on platforms that ignore chmod */ }
+      ensuredUsageLogFile = path;
+    }
+  };
+  try {
+    doAppend();
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    if (error?.code === "ENOENT") {
+      ensuredUsageLogDir = null;
+      ensuredUsageLogFile = null;
+      doAppend();
+      return;
+    }
+    throw error;
+  }
 }
 
 export type UsageLogRevision = {
@@ -1057,6 +1080,8 @@ export function resetUsageReadCacheForTests(): void {
   managementUsageReadInflight?.abort.abort();
   managementUsageReadInflight = null;
   retainedUsageSnapshot = null;
+  ensuredUsageLogDir = null;
+  ensuredUsageLogFile = null;
 }
 
 function readExactly(fd: number, length: number, position: number): Buffer | null {
diff --git a/tests/usage/usage-log.test.ts b/tests/usage/usage-log.test.ts
index 9cd97855a6..58ba3fcc98 100644
--- a/tests/usage/usage-log.test.ts
+++ b/tests/usage/usage-log.test.ts
@@ -1012,4 +1012,61 @@ describe("usage log", () => {
 
     expect(readRecentUsageEntries(1)).toEqual([]);
   }, STORE_BUDGET_MS);
+
+  test("appendUsageEntry avoids redundant mkdirSync and chmodSync on consecutive calls", async () => {
+    const nodeFs = await import("node:fs");
+    const mkdirSpy = spyOn(nodeFs, "mkdirSync");
+    const chmodSpy = spyOn(nodeFs, "chmodSync");
+
+    try {
+      for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+        appendUsageEntry({
+          requestId: `ocx-perf-${i}`,
+          timestamp: Date.now(),
+          provider: "openai",
+          model: "gpt-4o",
+          status: 200,
+          durationMs: 10,
+          usageStatus: "unreported",
+        });
+      }
+
+      expect(mkdirSpy.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+      expect(chmodSpy.mock.calls.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(2);
+    } finally {
+      mkdirSpy.mockRestore();
+      chmodSpy.mockRestore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("appendUsageEntry recovers cleanly on ENOENT if usage directory is deleted between calls", () => {
+    const entry1: PersistedUsageEntry = {
+      requestId: "ocx-enoent-1",
+      timestamp: Date.now(),
+      provider: "openai",
+      model: "gpt-4o",
+      status: 200,
+      durationMs: 10,
+      usageStatus: "unreported",
+    };
+    appendUsageEntry(entry1);
+
+    // Simulate directory deletion by log rotation / cleanup while process is running
+    rmSync(testDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    expect(existsSync(testDir)).toBe(false);
+
+    const entry2: PersistedUsageEntry = {
+      requestId: "ocx-enoent-2",
+      timestamp: Date.now(),
+      provider: "openai",
+      model: "gpt-4o",
+      status: 200,
+      durationMs: 12,
+      usageStatus: "unreported",
+    };
+    expect(() => appendUsageEntry(entry2)).not.toThrow();
+    const readBack = readRecentUsageEntries(10);
+    expect(readBack.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(readBack[0].requestId).toBe("ocx-enoent-2");
+  });
 });