diff --git a/cmd/server/coverage_test.go b/cmd/server/coverage_test.go
index 6ef42baf..15301b2f 100644
--- a/cmd/server/coverage_test.go
+++ b/cmd/server/coverage_test.go
@@ -3887,6 +3887,71 @@ func TestGetChannelMessagesAfterIngest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// --- resolveRegionObservers caching ---
+
+func TestResolveRegionObserversCaching(t *testing.T) {
+	db := setupTestDB(t)
+	defer db.Close()
+	seedTestData(t, db)
+
+	store := &PacketStore{db: db}
+
+	// First call should populate cache.
+	obs1 := store.resolveRegionObservers("SJC")
+	if obs1 == nil || len(obs1) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("expected observer IDs for SJC on first call")
+	}
+
+	// Second call should return cached result (same pointer).
+	obs2 := store.resolveRegionObservers("SJC")
+	if len(obs2) != len(obs1) {
+		t.Errorf("cached result differs: got %d, want %d", len(obs2), len(obs1))
+	}
+
+	// Non-existent region should return nil even from cache.
+	obs3 := store.resolveRegionObservers("NONEXIST")
+	if obs3 != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected nil for NONEXIST, got %v", obs3)
+	}
+
+	// Verify cache fields are set.
+	if store.regionObsCache == nil {
+		t.Error("regionObsCache should be non-nil after calls")
+	}
+	if store.regionObsCacheTime.IsZero() {
+		t.Error("regionObsCacheTime should be set")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResolveRegionObserversCacheMissNewRegion(t *testing.T) {
+	db := setupTestDB(t)
+	defer db.Close()
+	seedTestData(t, db)
+
+	store := &PacketStore{db: db}
+
+	// Populate cache with SJC.
+	obs1 := store.resolveRegionObservers("SJC")
+	if obs1 == nil || len(obs1) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("expected observer IDs for SJC on first call")
+	}
+
+	// Cache is now valid. Request a different region that exists in DB.
+	// Before the fix, this would return nil from the map lookup instead of
+	// fetching from DB, silently returning "no observers" for up to 30s.
+	obs2 := store.resolveRegionObservers("LAX")
+	// LAX may or may not have data in the test DB, but the key point is:
+	// a non-existent region should be fetched (not just nil-returned).
+	// Verify the region key was cached (even if empty).
+	store.regionObsMu.Lock()
+	_, cached := store.regionObsCache["LAX"]
+	store.regionObsMu.Unlock()
+	if !cached {
+		t.Error("LAX should be cached after resolveRegionObservers call, even if empty")
+	}
+	_ = obs2
+}
+
 func TestIndexByNodePreCheck(t *testing.T) {
 	store := &PacketStore{
 		byNode:     make(map[string][]*StoreTx),
diff --git a/cmd/server/store.go b/cmd/server/store.go
index 25cccbb6..f195a620 100644
--- a/cmd/server/store.go
+++ b/cmd/server/store.go
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ type PacketStore struct {
 	channelsCacheKey string
 	channelsCacheExp time.Time
 	channelsCacheRes []map[string]interface{}
+	// Cached region → observer ID mapping (30s TTL, avoids repeated DB queries)
+	regionObsMu        sync.Mutex
+	regionObsCache     map[string]map[string]bool
+	regionObsCacheTime time.Time
 	// Cached node list + prefix map (rebuilt on demand, shared across analytics)
 	nodeCache     []nodeInfo
 	nodePM        *prefixMap
@@ -1840,15 +1844,42 @@ func (s *PacketStore) transmissionsForObserver(observerIDs string, from []*Store
 }
 
 // resolveRegionObservers returns a set of observer IDs for a given IATA region.
+// Results are cached for 30 seconds to avoid repeated DB queries.
+// Uses its own mutex (regionObsMu) so callers holding s.mu won't deadlock.
 func (s *PacketStore) resolveRegionObservers(region string) map[string]bool {
+	s.regionObsMu.Lock()
+	defer s.regionObsMu.Unlock()
+
+	if s.regionObsCache != nil && time.Since(s.regionObsCacheTime) < 30*time.Second {
+		if m, ok := s.regionObsCache[region]; ok {
+			return m
+		}
+		return s.fetchAndCacheRegionObs(region)
+	}
+	// Cache expired — rebuild.
+	s.regionObsCache = make(map[string]map[string]bool)
+	s.regionObsCacheTime = time.Now()
+
+	// Fetch for the requested region and cache it.
+	return s.fetchAndCacheRegionObs(region)
+}
+
+// fetchAndCacheRegionObs fetches observer IDs for a region from the DB and stores in cache.
+// Caller must hold regionObsMu.
+func (s *PacketStore) fetchAndCacheRegionObs(region string) map[string]bool {
+	if m, ok := s.regionObsCache[region]; ok {
+		return m
+	}
 	ids, err := s.db.GetObserverIdsForRegion(region)
 	if err != nil || len(ids) == 0 {
+		s.regionObsCache[region] = nil
 		return nil
 	}
 	m := make(map[string]bool, len(ids))
 	for _, id := range ids {
 		m[id] = true
 	}
+	s.regionObsCache[region] = m
 	return m
 }