diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/plugin-local-folders.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/plugin-local-folders.test.ts
index 89e00eff966..073220c4b7d 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/plugin-local-folders.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/plugin-local-folders.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   preparePluginLocalFolder,
   readPluginLocalFolderText,
   resolvePluginLocalFolderPath,
+  deletePluginLocalFolderFile,
   writePluginLocalFolderTextAtomic,
 } from "../services/plugin-local-folders.js";
 
@@ -218,6 +219,16 @@ describe("plugin local folders", () => {
     expect(leftovers.filter((name) => name.includes(".paperclip-"))).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it("returns the real folder key after deleting a file", async () => {
+    const root = await makeRoot();
+    await fs.writeFile(path.join(root, "stale.md"), "delete me", "utf8");
+
+    const status = await deletePluginLocalFolderFile(root, "stale.md", "content-root");
+
+    expect(status.folderKey).toBe("content-root");
+    await expect(fs.stat(path.join(root, "stale.md"))).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
+  });
+
   it("lists nested local folder entries without following symlink escapes", async () => {
     const root = await makeRoot();
     const outside = await makeRoot();
diff --git a/server/src/home-paths.ts b/server/src/home-paths.ts
index f12464d1fe8..0a5be471a9e 100644
--- a/server/src/home-paths.ts
+++ b/server/src/home-paths.ts
@@ -25,8 +25,15 @@ export {
   resolvePaperclipSpaceRoot,
 };
 
+const defaultConfigPathCache = new Map<string, string>();
+
 export function resolveDefaultConfigPath(): string {
-  return resolvePaperclipConfigPathForInstance();
+  const cacheKey = `${process.env.PAPERCLIP_HOME ?? ""}\0${process.env.PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID ?? ""}`;
+  const cached = defaultConfigPathCache.get(cacheKey);
+  if (cached) return cached;
+  const resolved = resolvePaperclipConfigPathForInstance();
+  defaultConfigPathCache.set(cacheKey, resolved);
+  return resolved;
 }
 
 export function resolveDefaultEmbeddedPostgresDir(): string {
diff --git a/server/src/services/plugin-host-services.ts b/server/src/services/plugin-host-services.ts
index ba4b7c4c147..3d4c8947f0a 100644
--- a/server/src/services/plugin-host-services.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/plugin-host-services.ts
@@ -897,7 +897,7 @@ export function buildHostServices(
         const companyId = ensureCompanyId(params.companyId);
         const status = await inspectStoredLocalFolder(companyId, params.folderKey);
         assertWritableConfiguredLocalFolder(status);
-        await deletePluginLocalFolderFile(status.realPath!, params.relativePath);
+        await deletePluginLocalFolderFile(status.realPath!, params.relativePath, params.folderKey);
         return inspectStoredLocalFolder(companyId, params.folderKey);
       },
     },
diff --git a/server/src/services/plugin-local-folders.ts b/server/src/services/plugin-local-folders.ts
index 93548baea62..049b6e668d9 100644
--- a/server/src/services/plugin-local-folders.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/plugin-local-folders.ts
@@ -541,6 +541,7 @@ export async function writePluginLocalFolderTextAtomic(
 export async function deletePluginLocalFolderFile(
   rootPath: string,
   relativePath: string,
+  folderKey: string,
 ) {
   const rootRealPath = await fs.realpath(rootPath);
   let resolved: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof resolvePluginLocalFolderPath>>;
@@ -553,7 +554,7 @@ export async function deletePluginLocalFolderFile(
     const code = typeof error === "object" && error && "code" in error ? String((error as { code?: unknown }).code) : "";
     if (code !== "ENOENT") throw error;
     return inspectPluginLocalFolder({
-      folderKey: "delete-result",
+      folderKey,
       storedConfig: {
         path: rootPath,
         access: "readWrite",
@@ -578,7 +579,7 @@ export async function deletePluginLocalFolderFile(
   }
 
   return inspectPluginLocalFolder({
-    folderKey: "delete-result",
+    folderKey,
     storedConfig: {
       path: rootPath,
       access: "readWrite",