diff --git a/python/ferro_ta/_utils.py b/python/ferro_ta/_utils.py
index 8e24683..a981848 100644
--- a/python/ferro_ta/_utils.py
+++ b/python/ferro_ta/_utils.py
@@ -20,6 +20,26 @@ DEFAULT_OHLCV_COLUMNS = {
 }
 
 
+@functools.lru_cache(maxsize=1)
+def _optional_pandas_module():
+    """Import pandas lazily once and cache absence for low-overhead hot paths."""
+    try:
+        import pandas as pd
+    except ImportError:
+        return None
+    return pd
+
+
+@functools.lru_cache(maxsize=1)
+def _optional_polars_module():
+    """Import polars lazily once and cache absence for low-overhead hot paths."""
+    try:
+        import polars as pl
+    except ImportError:
+        return None
+    return pl
+
+
 def _to_f64(data: ArrayLike) -> np.ndarray:
     """Convert any array-like to a contiguous 1-D float64 NumPy array.
 
@@ -159,9 +179,8 @@ def pandas_wrap(func):
 
     @functools.wraps(func)
     def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
-        try:
-            import pandas as pd  # local import — pandas is optional
-        except ImportError:
+        pd = _optional_pandas_module()
+        if pd is None:
             return func(*args, **kwargs)
 
         pd_index = None
@@ -232,9 +251,8 @@ def polars_wrap(func):
 
     @functools.wraps(func)
     def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
-        try:
-            import polars as pl  # local import — polars is optional
-        except ImportError:
+        pl = _optional_polars_module()
+        if pl is None:
             return func(*args, **kwargs)
 
         pl_name: Optional[str] = None
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_optional_dependency_wrappers.py b/tests/unit/test_optional_dependency_wrappers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed7b03f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_optional_dependency_wrappers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from ferro_ta._utils import (
+    _optional_pandas_module,
+    _optional_polars_module,
+    pandas_wrap,
+    polars_wrap,
+)
+
+
+def _missing_only(module_name: str):
+    real_import = __import__
+    attempts: list[str] = []
+
+    def side_effect(name, globals=None, locals=None, fromlist=(), level=0):
+        if name == module_name:
+            attempts.append(name)
+            raise ImportError(f"{module_name} not installed")
+        return real_import(name, globals, locals, fromlist, level)
+
+    return attempts, side_effect
+
+
+def test_pandas_wrap_caches_missing_optional_import() -> None:
+    _optional_pandas_module.cache_clear()
+    wrapped = pandas_wrap(lambda arr: arr)
+    arr = np.array([1.0, 2.0, 3.0], dtype=np.float64)
+    attempts, side_effect = _missing_only("pandas")
+
+    try:
+        with patch("builtins.__import__", side_effect=side_effect):
+            np.testing.assert_array_equal(wrapped(arr), arr)
+            np.testing.assert_array_equal(wrapped(arr), arr)
+    finally:
+        _optional_pandas_module.cache_clear()
+
+    assert attempts == ["pandas"]
+
+
+def test_polars_wrap_caches_missing_optional_import() -> None:
+    _optional_polars_module.cache_clear()
+    wrapped = polars_wrap(lambda arr: arr)
+    arr = np.array([1.0, 2.0, 3.0], dtype=np.float64)
+    attempts, side_effect = _missing_only("polars")
+
+    try:
+        with patch("builtins.__import__", side_effect=side_effect):
+            np.testing.assert_array_equal(wrapped(arr), arr)
+            np.testing.assert_array_equal(wrapped(arr), arr)
+    finally:
+        _optional_polars_module.cache_clear()
+
+    assert attempts == ["polars"]