diff --git a/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp b/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp
index 7665f3a..f2f2100 100644
--- a/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp
+++ b/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp
@@ -298,20 +298,35 @@ void Ollie9pClient::handleEvent(const QString &eventLine)
             // Hot path: agent state change
             if (payload.isEmpty()) return;
             
-            const QString sidStr = sessionId.toString();
-            const QString aidStr = agentId.toString();
-            const QString key = agentKey(sidStr, aidStr);
-            const QString payloadStr = payload.toString();
+            // Fast path: check if this is the active agent first (avoids toString for non-active)
+            const bool isActiveAgent = (sessionId == m_activeSessionId && agentId == m_agentId);
             
-            if (m_agentStateValues.value(key) != payloadStr) {
+            if (isActiveAgent) {
+                // Super fast path: compare payload directly against current active state
+                const QString payloadStr = payload.toString();
+                if (m_activeState == payloadStr) return; // No change
+                
+                // State changed for active agent
+                m_activeState = payloadStr;
+                const QString sidStr = sessionId.toString();
+                const QString aidStr = agentId.toString();
+                const QString key = agentKey(sidStr, aidStr);
                 m_agentStateValues[key] = payloadStr;
                 emit agentStateChanged(sidStr, aidStr, payloadStr);
+                emit activeStateChanged();
+            } else {
+                // Non-active agent: need to check cache
+                const QString sidStr = sessionId.toString();
+                const QString aidStr = agentId.toString();
+                const QString key = agentKey(sidStr, aidStr);
+                const QString payloadStr = payload.toString();
                 
-                // Fast check: is this the active agent?
-                if (sidStr == m_activeSessionId && aidStr == m_agentId) {
-                    m_activeState = payloadStr;
-                    emit activeStateChanged();
-                }
+                // Use iterator to avoid double lookup
+                auto it = m_agentStateValues.find(key);
+                if (it != m_agentStateValues.end() && it.value() == payloadStr) return;
+                
+                m_agentStateValues[key] = payloadStr;
+                emit agentStateChanged(sidStr, aidStr, payloadStr);
             }
         } else if (agentAction == QLatin1String("new") || agentAction == QLatin1String("kill")) {
             refreshSessions();