diff --git a/src/dbetto/textdb.py b/src/dbetto/textdb.py
index a91abfd..33d17ea 100644
--- a/src/dbetto/textdb.py
+++ b/src/dbetto/textdb.py
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ def __init__(
 
         self.__store__ = AttrsDict()
         self.__ftypes__ = {"json", "yaml"}
+        self.__validity_file__ = None
+        self.__catalog__ = None
 
         if not self.__lazy__:
             self.scan()
@@ -123,6 +125,8 @@ def reset(self, rescan: bool = True) -> None:
         changes at runtime.
         """
         self.__store__ = AttrsDict()
+        self.__validity_file__ = None
+        self.__catalog__ = None
 
         if rescan and not self.__lazy__:
             self.scan()
@@ -157,6 +161,42 @@ def keys(self) -> list[str]:
     def items(self) -> Iterator[(str, TextDB | AttrsDict | list)]:
         return self.__store__.items()
 
+    def _find_validity_file(self) -> None:
+        """Find and cache the validity file path and parsed catalog.
+
+        This method searches for a validity file with supported extensions,
+        caches its path in __validity_file__, and parses it into a Catalog
+        object cached in __catalog__. The cached objects are reused on
+        subsequent calls to .on() to avoid repeated filesystem and parsing
+        operations.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        RuntimeError
+            If no validity file is found in the database directory.
+        """
+        _extensions = [*list(self.__extensions__), ".jsonl"]
+        validity_file = None
+        for ext in _extensions:
+            candidate = self.__path__ / f"validity{ext}"
+            if candidate.is_file():
+                if validity_file is not None:
+                    msg = (
+                        "multiple supported validity files found, "
+                        f"will use the first one of {_extensions}"
+                    )
+                    log.warning(msg)
+                    break
+                validity_file = candidate
+
+        if validity_file is None:
+            msg = f"no validity.* file found in {self.__path__!s}"
+            raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+        self.__validity_file__ = validity_file
+        # Parse and cache the catalog to avoid re-parsing on every .on() call
+        self.__catalog__ = Catalog.read_from(validity_file)
+
     def on(
         self, timestamp: str | datetime, pattern: str | None = None, system: str = "all"
     ) -> AttrsDict | list:
@@ -183,26 +223,12 @@ def on(
         system
             query only a data taking "system" (e.g. 'all', 'phy', 'cal', 'lar', ...)
         """
-        _extensions = [*list(self.__extensions__), ".jsonl"]
-        validity_file = None
-        for ext in _extensions:
-            candidate = self.__path__ / f"validity{ext}"
-            if candidate.is_file():
-                if validity_file is not None:
-                    msg = (
-                        "multiple supported validity files found, "
-                        "will use the first on of {_extensions}"
-                    )
-                    log.warning(msg)
-                    break
-                validity_file = candidate
-
-        if validity_file is None:
-            msg = f"no validity.* file found in {self.__path__!s}"
-            raise RuntimeError(msg)
+        # Use cached validity file and catalog if available, otherwise find/parse it
+        if self.__validity_file__ is None:
+            self._find_validity_file()
 
-        # parse validity file and return requested files
-        file_list = Catalog.get_files(str(validity_file), timestamp, system)
+        # Use the cached catalog instead of re-parsing the validity file
+        file_list = self.__catalog__.valid_for(timestamp, system)
 
         # select only files matching pattern, if specified
         if pattern is not None:
@@ -384,6 +410,8 @@ def __getstate__(self) -> dict:
             "__hidden__": self.__hidden__,
             "__ftypes__": self.__ftypes__,
             "__store__": self.__store__,
+            "__validity_file__": self.__validity_file__,
+            "__catalog__": self.__catalog__,
         }
 
     def __setstate__(self, state: dict) -> None:
@@ -401,6 +429,8 @@ def __setstate__(self, state: dict) -> None:
             else state["__ftypes__"]
         )
         self.__store__ = state["__store__"]
+        self.__validity_file__ = state.get("__validity_file__")
+        self.__catalog__ = state.get("__catalog__")
 
     def __contains__(self, value: str) -> bool:
         return self.__store__.__contains__(value)
diff --git a/tests/test_textdb.py b/tests/test_textdb.py
index 7e7d4f5..6fefcd5 100644
--- a/tests/test_textdb.py
+++ b/tests/test_textdb.py
@@ -132,11 +132,13 @@ def test_scan():
     jdb.scan(recursive=True)
 
     assert sorted(jdb.__dict__.keys()) == [
+        "__catalog__",
         "__ftypes__",
         "__hidden__",
         "__lazy__",
         "__path__",
         "__store__",
+        "__validity_file__",
         "arrays",
         "dir1",
         "dir2",
@@ -149,11 +151,13 @@ def test_scan():
     jdb.scan(recursive=False)
 
     assert sorted(jdb.__dict__.keys()) == [
+        "__catalog__",
         "__ftypes__",
         "__hidden__",
         "__lazy__",
         "__path__",
         "__store__",
+        "__validity_file__",
         "arrays",
         "file1",
         "file2",
@@ -164,11 +168,13 @@ def test_scan():
     jdb.scan(recursive=False, subdir="dir1")
 
     assert sorted(jdb.__dict__.keys()) == [
+        "__catalog__",
         "__ftypes__",
         "__hidden__",
         "__lazy__",
         "__path__",
         "__store__",
+        "__validity_file__",
         "dir1",
     ]
 
@@ -292,31 +298,37 @@ def test_lazyness():
     jdb = TextDB(testdb, lazy="auto")
     assert jdb.__lazy__ is True
     assert sorted(jdb.__dict__.keys()) == [
+        "__catalog__",
         "__ftypes__",
         "__hidden__",
         "__lazy__",
         "__path__",
         "__store__",
+        "__validity_file__",
     ]
 
     jdb = TextDB(testdb, lazy=True)
     assert jdb.__lazy__ is True
     assert sorted(jdb.__dict__.keys()) == [
+        "__catalog__",
         "__ftypes__",
         "__hidden__",
         "__lazy__",
         "__path__",
         "__store__",
+        "__validity_file__",
     ]
 
     jdb = TextDB(testdb, lazy=False)
     assert jdb.__lazy__ is False
     assert sorted(jdb.__dict__.keys()) == [
+        "__catalog__",
         "__ftypes__",
         "__hidden__",
         "__lazy__",
         "__path__",
         "__store__",
+        "__validity_file__",
         "arrays",
         "dir1",
         "dir2",
@@ -338,3 +350,33 @@ def test_hidden():
 
     assert isinstance(jdb.dir2, TextDB)
     assert getattr(jdb.dir2, "__hidden__", False) is True
+
+
+def test_validity_file_caching():
+    """Test that validity file path and catalog are cached after first .on() call."""
+    jdb = TextDB(testdb, lazy=False)
+
+    # Initially, validity_file and catalog should be None for the root db
+    assert jdb.__validity_file__ is None
+    assert jdb.__catalog__ is None
+
+    # After first .on() call on dir1 subdirectory, both should be cached
+    jdb.dir1.on("20230101T000001Z")
+    assert jdb.dir1.__validity_file__ is not None
+    assert jdb.dir1.__catalog__ is not None
+
+    # Verify the cached path is correct
+    assert jdb.dir1.__validity_file__.name == "validity.yaml"
+    assert jdb.dir1.__validity_file__.parent == jdb.dir1.__path__
+
+    # Second .on() call should use cached validity_file and catalog (no I/O)
+    cached_file = jdb.dir1.__validity_file__
+    cached_catalog = jdb.dir1.__catalog__
+    jdb.dir1.on("20230102T000000Z")
+    assert jdb.dir1.__validity_file__ is cached_file  # Same object
+    assert jdb.dir1.__catalog__ is cached_catalog  # Same object
+
+    # Reset should clear both caches
+    jdb.dir1.reset()
+    assert jdb.dir1.__validity_file__ is None
+    assert jdb.dir1.__catalog__ is None