diff --git a/src/domain/datastore/user_datastore_loader.ts b/src/domain/datastore/user_datastore_loader.ts
index 2107fba4..c66d559d 100644
--- a/src/domain/datastore/user_datastore_loader.ts
+++ b/src/domain/datastore/user_datastore_loader.ts
@@ -251,9 +251,20 @@ export class UserDatastoreLoader {
         return js;
       } catch (bundleError) {
         if (bundleExists) {
-          logger
-            .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
-          return await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+          try {
+            const cached = await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+            logger
+              .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
+            // Touch the cache mtime so subsequent loads see it as fresh,
+            // avoiding repeated failed rebundle attempts on every cold start.
+            try {
+              const now = new Date();
+              await Deno.utime(bundlePath, now, now);
+            } catch { /* ignore — worst case we retry next load */ }
+            return cached;
+          } catch {
+            // Cache file was removed between stat and read — treat as no cache.
+          }
         }
         throw bundleError;
       }
diff --git a/src/domain/drivers/user_driver_loader.ts b/src/domain/drivers/user_driver_loader.ts
index aa39747c..ea09050b 100644
--- a/src/domain/drivers/user_driver_loader.ts
+++ b/src/domain/drivers/user_driver_loader.ts
@@ -250,9 +250,20 @@ export class UserDriverLoader {
         return js;
       } catch (bundleError) {
         if (bundleExists) {
-          logger
-            .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
-          return await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+          try {
+            const cached = await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+            logger
+              .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
+            // Touch the cache mtime so subsequent loads see it as fresh,
+            // avoiding repeated failed rebundle attempts on every cold start.
+            try {
+              const now = new Date();
+              await Deno.utime(bundlePath, now, now);
+            } catch { /* ignore — worst case we retry next load */ }
+            return cached;
+          } catch {
+            // Cache file was removed between stat and read — treat as no cache.
+          }
         }
         throw bundleError;
       }
diff --git a/src/domain/models/user_model_loader.ts b/src/domain/models/user_model_loader.ts
index 1c3beac9..672f90e2 100644
--- a/src/domain/models/user_model_loader.ts
+++ b/src/domain/models/user_model_loader.ts
@@ -473,9 +473,20 @@ export class UserModelLoader {
         return js;
       } catch (bundleError) {
         if (bundleExists) {
-          logger
-            .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
-          return await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+          try {
+            const cached = await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+            logger
+              .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
+            // Touch the cache mtime so subsequent loads see it as fresh,
+            // avoiding repeated failed rebundle attempts on every cold start.
+            try {
+              const now = new Date();
+              await Deno.utime(bundlePath, now, now);
+            } catch { /* ignore — worst case we retry next load */ }
+            return cached;
+          } catch {
+            // Cache file was removed between stat and read — treat as no cache.
+          }
         }
         throw bundleError;
       }
diff --git a/src/domain/vaults/user_vault_loader.ts b/src/domain/vaults/user_vault_loader.ts
index a9d0d478..d56b0740 100644
--- a/src/domain/vaults/user_vault_loader.ts
+++ b/src/domain/vaults/user_vault_loader.ts
@@ -257,9 +257,20 @@ export class UserVaultLoader {
         return js;
       } catch (bundleError) {
         if (bundleExists) {
-          logger
-            .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
-          return await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+          try {
+            const cached = await Deno.readTextFile(bundlePath);
+            logger
+              .warn`Rebundle failed for ${relativePath}, using cached bundle: ${bundleError}`;
+            // Touch the cache mtime so subsequent loads see it as fresh,
+            // avoiding repeated failed rebundle attempts on every cold start.
+            try {
+              const now = new Date();
+              await Deno.utime(bundlePath, now, now);
+            } catch { /* ignore — worst case we retry next load */ }
+            return cached;
+          } catch {
+            // Cache file was removed between stat and read — treat as no cache.
+          }
         }
         throw bundleError;
       }