diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index ef0d4ad..07782ec 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -71,8 +71,11 @@ RUN DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-ins
 # Use --python to target the active interpreter (preserves torch in its site-packages)
 COPY README.md pyproject.toml uv.lock ./
 COPY src/ ./
+# Precompile bytecode at build time: a fresh container otherwise recompiles
+# every imported module on first import, on every cold start.
 RUN uv export --format requirements-txt --no-dev --no-hashes > requirements.txt \
- && uv pip install --python $(which python) --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt
+ && uv pip install --compile-bytecode --python $(which python) --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt \
+ && python -m compileall -q .
 
 # Install numpy for the active Python version.
 # The runpod/pytorch image ships torch but not numpy. Flash build excludes numpy
diff --git a/Dockerfile-cpu b/Dockerfile-cpu
index 48c174f..7ed3d8f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile-cpu
+++ b/Dockerfile-cpu
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ RUN DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-ins
 # Copy app code and install dependencies
 COPY README.md pyproject.toml uv.lock ./
 COPY src/ ./
+# Precompile bytecode at build time: a fresh container otherwise recompiles
+# every imported module on first import, on every cold start.
 RUN uv export --format requirements-txt --no-dev --no-hashes > requirements.txt \
- && uv pip install --system --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt
+ && uv pip install --compile-bytecode --system --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt \
+ && python -m compileall -q .
 
 CMD ["python", "handler.py"]
diff --git a/Dockerfile-lb b/Dockerfile-lb
index ff927c6..7d04f4e 100644
--- a/Dockerfile-lb
+++ b/Dockerfile-lb
@@ -66,8 +66,11 @@ RUN DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-ins
 # Use --python to target the active interpreter (preserves torch in its site-packages)
 COPY README.md pyproject.toml uv.lock ./
 COPY src/ ./
+# Precompile bytecode at build time: a fresh container otherwise recompiles
+# every imported module on first import, on every cold start.
 RUN uv export --format requirements-txt --no-dev --no-hashes > requirements.txt \
- && uv pip install --python $(which python) --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt
+ && uv pip install --compile-bytecode --python $(which python) --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt \
+ && python -m compileall -q .
 
 # Install numpy for the active Python version.
 # The runpod/pytorch image ships torch but not numpy. Flash build excludes numpy
diff --git a/Dockerfile-lb-cpu b/Dockerfile-lb-cpu
index f99459f..1d0645f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile-lb-cpu
+++ b/Dockerfile-lb-cpu
@@ -32,8 +32,11 @@ RUN DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-ins
 # Copy app code and install dependencies
 COPY README.md pyproject.toml uv.lock ./
 COPY src/ ./
+# Precompile bytecode at build time: a fresh container otherwise recompiles
+# every imported module on first import, on every cold start.
 RUN uv export --format requirements-txt --no-dev --no-hashes > requirements.txt \
- && uv pip install --system --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt
+ && uv pip install --compile-bytecode --system --break-system-packages -r requirements.txt \
+ && python -m compileall -q .
 
 EXPOSE 80