diff --git a/checkpoint.py b/checkpoint.py
index 2b08b42..c869d94 100644
--- a/checkpoint.py
+++ b/checkpoint.py
@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ def load_tensors(shaped_arrays, directory, mesh_config, tensor_indices=None):
     return results
 
 
+"""
+For path_tuple_to_string(),
+introducing a simple caching mechanism to avoid recomputing regex matches for paths that have already been processed.
+"""
+@lru_cache(maxsize=32)  # Set maxsize to 32MB
+def path_tuple_to_string_cached(path: tuple) -> str:
+    return path_tuple_to_string(path=path)
+
 def path_tuple_to_string(path: tuple) -> str:
     pieces = []
     for elem in path:
@@ -184,13 +192,13 @@ def replace_with_load_state(
 ) -> Any:
     flatten_load, _ = jax.tree_util.tree_flatten_with_path(load_state)
     flatten_init, structure_init = jax.tree_util.tree_flatten_with_path(init_state)
-    load_map = {path_tuple_to_string(path): tensor for path, tensor in flatten_load}
+    load_map = {path_tuple_to_string_cached(path): tensor for path, tensor in flatten_load}
 
     replaced = []
     num_replicas = 1
     data_model_shards = math.prod(mesh_config)
     for i, (init_path, tensor) in enumerate(flatten_init):
-        init_path_str = path_tuple_to_string(init_path)
+        init_path_str = path_tuple_to_string_cached(init_path)
         load_path_str = get_load_path_str_cached(init_path_str, load_rename_rules, load_exclude_rules)
         if load_path_str is None:
             rank_logger.info(f"Excluded from restore: {init_path_str}.")