diff --git a/crates/core/src/process_watch.rs b/crates/core/src/process_watch.rs
index b9ab740..7a93552 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/process_watch.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/process_watch.rs
@@ -8,18 +8,56 @@
 
 use sysinfo::{ProcessRefreshKind, ProcessesToUpdate, RefreshKind, System};
 
+/// Reusable wrapper around a `sysinfo::System` whose process table is
+/// refreshed in place on every poll, instead of allocating a fresh one.
+///
+/// On a busy host (~300 processes), `System::new_with_specifics` followed by
+/// `refresh_processes` walks `/proc` cold and costs ~50–100 ms; reusing the
+/// same instance reuses sysinfo's per-process bookkeeping so subsequent
+/// refreshes are dominated by diffing rather than allocation. The Tauri
+/// host holds one of these behind a `Mutex` for the meeting-detection
+/// command to call every 15 s.
+pub struct ProcessLister {
+    system: System,
+}
+
+impl Default for ProcessLister {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
+
+impl ProcessLister {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            system: System::new_with_specifics(
+                RefreshKind::nothing().with_processes(ProcessRefreshKind::nothing()),
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Refresh the process table in place and return the current
+    /// lowercased executable names.
+    pub fn snapshot(&mut self) -> Vec<String> {
+        self.system
+            .refresh_processes(ProcessesToUpdate::All, true);
+        self.system
+            .processes()
+            .values()
+            .map(|process| process.name().to_string_lossy().to_lowercase())
+            .collect()
+    }
+}
+
 /// Snapshot the current process list's executable/command names. Lowercased
 /// for case-insensitive pattern matching.
+///
+/// Convenience wrapper that allocates a fresh `ProcessLister` per call.
+/// Hot paths (the meeting-detection poller) should hold a long-lived
+/// `ProcessLister` and call `snapshot()` directly to avoid the per-call
+/// allocation of `System`'s internal bookkeeping.
 pub fn list_running_process_names() -> Vec<String> {
-    let mut system = System::new_with_specifics(
-        RefreshKind::nothing().with_processes(ProcessRefreshKind::nothing()),
-    );
-    system.refresh_processes(ProcessesToUpdate::All, true);
-    system
-        .processes()
-        .values()
-        .map(|process| process.name().to_string_lossy().to_lowercase())
-        .collect()
+    ProcessLister::new().snapshot()
 }
 
 /// Match a snapshot of process names against case-insensitive substring
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/meeting.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/meeting.rs
index a73d22e..8d7e5cc 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/meeting.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/meeting.rs
@@ -5,13 +5,46 @@
 //! that reminds the user to start recording with their hotkey. We do not
 //! start recording from this signal — the user decides.
 
-use kon_core::process_watch;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+
+use kon_core::process_watch::{self, ProcessLister};
+
+/// Tauri-managed state for the meeting poller. Holds a long-lived
+/// `ProcessLister` so each poll refreshes the existing `sysinfo::System`
+/// in place instead of allocating a fresh one — the previous implementation
+/// rebuilt the process table from scratch every 15 s.
+pub struct MeetingState {
+    lister: Mutex<ProcessLister>,
+}
+
+impl MeetingState {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            lister: Mutex::new(ProcessLister::new()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Default for MeetingState {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
 
 #[tauri::command]
-pub fn detect_meeting_processes(patterns: Vec<String>) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
+pub fn detect_meeting_processes(
+    state: tauri::State<'_, MeetingState>,
+    patterns: Vec<String>,
+) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
     if patterns.is_empty() {
         return Ok(Vec::new());
     }
-    let processes = process_watch::list_running_process_names();
+    let processes = {
+        let mut lister = state
+            .lister
+            .lock()
+            .map_err(|e| format!("MeetingState lister poisoned: {e}"))?;
+        lister.snapshot()
+    };
     Ok(process_watch::match_meeting_patterns(&processes, &patterns))
 }
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 6cd810c..19391cf 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             app.manage(commands::audio::NativeCaptureState::new());
             app.manage(commands::live::LiveTranscriptionState::default());
             app.manage(commands::tts::TtsState::new());
+            app.manage(commands::meeting::MeetingState::new());
 
             app.manage(AppState {
                 whisper_engine: Arc::new(LocalEngine::new(EngineName::new("whisper"))),