diff --git a/src/Websocket/Controller.php b/src/Websocket/Controller.php
index ffb86f8..9bdd8e3 100644
--- a/src/Websocket/Controller.php
+++ b/src/Websocket/Controller.php
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Log;
 class Controller
 {
     protected bool $isMockConnection;
-    protected MockConnectionSocketPair|null $mockConnectionClone = null;
 
     final public function __construct(
         protected ConnectionInterface $connection,
@@ -23,14 +22,7 @@ class Controller
         protected string $event,
         protected LocalChannelManager|RedisChannelManager $channelManager
     ) {
-        // Cache class check to avoid repeated get_class() calls (reflection is slow)
-        $connectionClass = get_class($connection);
-        $this->isMockConnection = $connectionClass === MockConnectionSocketPair::class;
-
-        // Pre-clone MockConnection once if needed (reuse across method calls)
-        if ($this->isMockConnection) {
-            $this->mockConnectionClone = clone $connection;
-        }
+        $this->isMockConnection = $connection instanceof MockConnectionSocketPair;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -167,11 +159,7 @@ class Controller
         // Pre-encode once (avoid repeated encoding)
         $encoded = json_encode($p);
 
-        if ($this->isMockConnection) {
-            $this->mockConnectionClone->send($encoded);
-        } else {
-            $this->connection->send($encoded);
-        }
+        $this->connection->send($encoded);
 
         return true;
     }
@@ -198,11 +186,7 @@ class Controller
         // Pre-encode once (avoid repeated encoding)
         $encoded = json_encode($p);
 
-        if ($this->isMockConnection) {
-            $this->mockConnectionClone->send($encoded);
-        } else {
-            $this->connection->send($encoded);
-        }
+        $this->connection->send($encoded);
 
         return true;
     }
@@ -240,14 +224,7 @@ class Controller
 
         Log::channel('websocket')->error('Send error: ' . @$p['data']['message'], $p);
 
-        // Pre-encode once (avoid repeated encoding)
-        $encoded = json_encode($p);
-
-        if ($this->isMockConnection) {
-            $this->mockConnectionClone->send($encoded);
-        } else {
-            $this->connection->send($encoded);
-        }
+        $this->connection->send(json_encode($p));
 
         return true;
     }
@@ -272,30 +249,27 @@ class Controller
             'channel' => $channel,
         ];
 
-        if (!$this->isMockConnection) {
-            if (! $channel) {
-                $this->error('Channel not found');
-                return;
+        if ($this->isMockConnection) {
+            $this->connection->broadcast($p, $channel, $including_self);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Direct broadcast (non-forked context, e.g. testing)
+        if (! $channel) {
+            $this->error('Channel not found');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $encoded = json_encode($p);
+
+        foreach ($this->channel->getConnections() as $channel_conection) {
+            if ($channel_conection !== $this->connection) {
+                $channel_conection->send($encoded);
             }
+        }
 
-            // Pre-encode ONCE - massive improvement for 100+ connections
-            $encoded = json_encode($p);
-
-            foreach ($this->channel->getConnections() as $channel_conection) {
-                if ($channel_conection !== $this->connection) {
-                    $channel_conection->send($encoded);
-                }
-
-                if ($including_self) {
-                    $this->connection->send($encoded);
-                }
-            }
-        } else {
-            $this->mockConnectionClone->broadcast(
-                $p,
-                $channel,
-                $including_self
-            );
+        if ($including_self) {
+            $this->connection->send($encoded);
         }
     }
 
@@ -319,36 +293,28 @@ class Controller
             'channel' => $channel,
         ];
 
-        if (!$this->isMockConnection) {
-            // Pre-encode ONCE for all matching sockets
-            $encoded = json_encode($p);
-
-            // Use array_flip for O(1) lookup instead of O(n) in_array
-            $socketIdLookup = array_flip($socketIds);
-            $sentTo = [];
-
-            // Search ALL connections across ALL channels to find target socket IDs
-            // This is necessary because whisper targets specific sockets regardless of channel
-            $this->channelManager->getLocalConnections()->then(function ($connections) use ($socketIdLookup, $encoded, &$sentTo) {
-                foreach ($connections as $connection) {
-                    // Skip if already sent to this socket (can appear in multiple channels)
-                    if (isset($sentTo[$connection->socketId])) {
-                        continue;
-                    }
-
-                    if (isset($socketIdLookup[$connection->socketId])) {
-                        $connection->send($encoded);
-                        $sentTo[$connection->socketId] = true;
-                    }
-                }
-            });
-        } else {
-            $this->mockConnectionClone->whisper(
-                $p,
-                $socketIds,
-                $channel
-            );
+        if ($this->isMockConnection) {
+            $this->connection->whisper($p, $socketIds, $channel);
+            return;
         }
+
+        // Direct whisper (non-forked context, e.g. testing)
+        $encoded = json_encode($p);
+        $socketIdLookup = array_flip($socketIds);
+        $sentTo = [];
+
+        $this->channelManager->getLocalConnections()->then(function ($connections) use ($socketIdLookup, $encoded, &$sentTo) {
+            foreach ($connections as $connection) {
+                if (isset($sentTo[$connection->socketId])) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                if (isset($socketIdLookup[$connection->socketId])) {
+                    $connection->send($encoded);
+                    $sentTo[$connection->socketId] = true;
+                }
+            }
+        });
     }
 
     private static function send_error(
diff --git a/src/Websocket/Handler.php b/src/Websocket/Handler.php
index ae7d81c..34a81d5 100644
--- a/src/Websocket/Handler.php
+++ b/src/Websocket/Handler.php
@@ -11,14 +11,12 @@ use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Channels\PrivateChannel;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Contracts\ChannelManager;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Events\ConnectionClosed;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Events\NewConnection;
-use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Exceptions\WebSocketException;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Ipc\SocketPairIpc;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Websocket\MockConnectionSocketPair;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Server\Exceptions\ConnectionsOverCapacity;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Server\Exceptions\OriginNotAllowed;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Server\Exceptions\UnknownAppKey;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Server\Exceptions\WebSocketException as ExceptionsWebSocketException;
-use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Server\Messages\PusherMessageFactory;
 use BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Server\QueryParameters;
 use Exception;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
@@ -61,6 +59,11 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
      */
     private static ?bool $hotReload = null;
 
+    /**
+     * Whether debug mode is enabled (cached to avoid container resolution per message)
+     */
+    private static ?bool $debug = null;
+
     /**
      * Initialize a new handler.
      */
@@ -176,7 +179,7 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
         $this->authenticateConnection($connection, $channel, $messageArray);
 
         // Only log in debug mode to reduce I/O
-        if (config('app.debug')) {
+        if (self::$debug ??= (bool) config('app.debug')) {
             Log::channel('websocket')->debug('[' . $connection->socketId . ']@' . $channel->getName() . ' | ' . $payload);
         }
 
@@ -552,36 +555,35 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
             return;
         }
 
-        // If it's already a string (JSON), try to parse for broadcast/whisper
-        if (is_string($data)) {
-            $bm = json_decode($data, true);
-
-            if (isset($bm['broadcast']) && $bm['broadcast']) {
-                $this->broadcast(
-                    $connection->app->id,
-                    $bm['data'] ?? null,
-                    $bm['event'] ?? null,
-                    $bm['channel'] ?? null,
-                    $bm['including_self'] ?? false,
-                    $connection
-                );
-                return;
-            }
-
-            if (isset($bm['whisper']) && $bm['whisper']) {
-                $this->whisper(
-                    $connection->app->id,
-                    $bm['data'] ?? null,
-                    $bm['event'] ?? null,
-                    $bm['socket_ids'] ?? [],
-                    $bm['channel'] ?? null,
-                );
-                return;
-            }
-
-            // Regular response
-            $connection->send($data);
+        // Prefix-based routing: B: = broadcast, W: = whisper, else regular response
+        // Avoids JSON decode overhead for regular responses (most common path)
+        if (str_starts_with($data, 'B:')) {
+            $bm = json_decode(substr($data, 2), true);
+            $this->broadcast(
+                $connection->app->id,
+                $bm['data'] ?? null,
+                $bm['event'] ?? null,
+                $bm['channel'] ?? null,
+                $bm['including_self'] ?? false,
+                $connection
+            );
+            return;
         }
+
+        if (str_starts_with($data, 'W:')) {
+            $bm = json_decode(substr($data, 2), true);
+            $this->whisper(
+                $connection->app->id,
+                $bm['data'] ?? null,
+                $bm['event'] ?? null,
+                $bm['socket_ids'] ?? [],
+                $bm['channel'] ?? null,
+            );
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Regular response - send directly without JSON decode
+        $connection->send($data);
     }
 
     protected function handleMessageError(\Throwable $e): void
@@ -902,11 +904,22 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
         PrivateChannel|Channel|PresenceChannel|null $channel,
         $message = []
     ) {
+        // Fast path: auth already resolved for this connection (skips cache read + DB query + cache write)
+        if (isset($connection->authLoaded)) {
+            if ($connection->user) {
+                Auth::login($connection->user);
+            }
+            $this->scheduleLogout();
+            return;
+        }
+
         $this->loadCachedAuth($connection, $channel);
         $this->ensureUserIsSet($connection, $channel);
         $this->updateAuthState($connection);
         $this->cacheAuthenticatedUser($connection);
         $this->scheduleLogout();
+
+        $connection->authLoaded = true;
     }
 
     protected function loadCachedAuth(ConnectionInterface $connection, $channel): void
@@ -958,7 +971,6 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
 
         /** @var \App\Models\User */
         $user = Auth::user();
-        $user->refresh();
 
         $socketId = $connection->socketId;
 
@@ -1055,23 +1067,23 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
         bool $including_self = false,
         $connection = null
     ): void {
-
         $channel = $this->channelManager->findOrCreate($appId, $channel);
 
-        $p = [
-            'event' => ($event ?? $event),
+        // Pre-encode once for all connections
+        $encoded = json_encode([
+            'event' => $event,
             'data' => $payload,
             'channel' => $channel->getName(),
-        ];
+        ]);
 
         foreach ($channel->getConnections() as $channel_conection) {
             if ($channel_conection->socketId !== $connection->socketId) {
-                $channel_conection->send(json_encode($p));
+                $channel_conection->send($encoded);
             }
+        }
 
-            if ($including_self) {
-                $connection->send(json_encode($p));
-            }
+        if ($including_self) {
+            $connection->send($encoded);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Websocket/MockConnectionSocketPair.php b/src/Websocket/MockConnectionSocketPair.php
index a6f01d6..8e59c4d 100644
--- a/src/Websocket/MockConnectionSocketPair.php
+++ b/src/Websocket/MockConnectionSocketPair.php
@@ -44,11 +44,12 @@ class MockConnectionSocketPair implements ConnectionInterface
         bool $including_self = false,
     ): self {
         $data ??= [];
-        $data['broadcast'] = true;
         $data['channel'] ??= $channel;
         $data['including_self'] = $including_self;
 
-        return $this->send(json_encode($data));
+        // B: prefix for instant routing in parent (avoids JSON decode for regular responses)
+        $this->ipc->sendToParent('B:' . json_encode($data));
+        return $this;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -61,11 +62,12 @@ class MockConnectionSocketPair implements ConnectionInterface
         ?string $channel = null,
     ): self {
         $data ??= [];
-        $data['whisper'] = true;
         $data['channel'] ??= $channel;
         $data['socket_ids'] = $socketIds;
 
-        return $this->send(json_encode($data));
+        // W: prefix for instant routing in parent (avoids JSON decode for regular responses)
+        $this->ipc->sendToParent('W:' . json_encode($data));
+        return $this;
     }
 
     public function close(): void