diff --git a/internal/fusefrontend/dircache.go b/internal/fusefrontend/dircache.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ae6d6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/fusefrontend/dircache.go
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+package fusefrontend
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"sync"
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/rfjakob/gocryptfs/internal/nametransform"
+	"github.com/rfjakob/gocryptfs/internal/tlog"
+)
+
+type dirCacheStruct struct {
+	sync.Mutex
+	// relative plaintext path to the directory
+	dirRelPath string
+	// fd to the directory (opened with O_PATH!)
+	fd int
+	// content of gocryptfs.diriv in this directory
+	iv []byte
+	// on the first Lookup(), the expire thread is stared, and this is set
+	// to true.
+	expireThreadRunning bool
+}
+
+// Clear clears the cache contents.
+func (d *dirCacheStruct) Clear() {
+	d.Lock()
+	defer d.Unlock()
+	d.doClear()
+}
+
+// doClear closes the fd and clears the cache contents.
+// Caller must hold d.Lock()!
+func (d *dirCacheStruct) doClear() {
+	// An earlier clear may have already closed the fd, or the cache
+	// has never been filled (fd is 0 in that case).
+	if d.fd > 0 {
+		err := syscall.Close(d.fd)
+		if err != nil {
+			tlog.Warn.Printf("dirCache.Clear: Close failed: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	d.fd = -1
+	d.dirRelPath = ""
+	d.iv = nil
+}
+
+// Store the entry in the cache. The passed "fd" will be Dup()ed, and the caller
+// can close their copy at will.
+func (d *dirCacheStruct) Store(dirRelPath string, fd int, iv []byte) {
+	if fd <= 0 || len(iv) != nametransform.DirIVLen {
+		log.Panicf("Store sanity check failed: fd=%d len=%d", fd, len(iv))
+	}
+	d.Lock()
+	defer d.Unlock()
+	// Close the old fd
+	d.doClear()
+	fd2, err := syscall.Dup(fd)
+	if err != nil {
+		tlog.Warn.Printf("dirCache.Store: Dup failed: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	d.fd = fd2
+	d.dbg("Store: %q %d %x\n", dirRelPath, fd2, iv)
+	d.dirRelPath = dirRelPath
+	d.iv = iv
+	// expireThread is started on the first Lookup()
+	if !d.expireThreadRunning {
+		d.expireThreadRunning = true
+		go d.expireThread()
+	}
+}
+
+// Lookup checks if relPath is in the cache, and returns and (fd, iv) pair.
+// It returns (-1, nil) if not found. The fd is internally Dup()ed and the
+// caller must close it when done.
+func (d *dirCacheStruct) Lookup(dirRelPath string) (fd int, iv []byte) {
+	d.Lock()
+	defer d.Unlock()
+	if d.fd <= 0 {
+		// Cache is empty
+		d.dbg("Lookup %q: empty\n", dirRelPath)
+		return -1, nil
+	}
+	if dirRelPath != d.dirRelPath {
+		d.dbg("Lookup %q: miss\n", dirRelPath)
+		return -1, nil
+	}
+	fd, err := syscall.Dup(d.fd)
+	if err != nil {
+		tlog.Warn.Printf("dirCache.Lookup: Dup failed: %v", err)
+		return -1, nil
+	}
+	if fd <= 0 || len(d.iv) != nametransform.DirIVLen {
+		log.Panicf("Lookup sanity check failed: fd=%d len=%d", fd, len(d.iv))
+	}
+	d.dbg("Lookup %q: hit %d %x\n", dirRelPath, fd, d.iv)
+	return fd, d.iv
+}
+
+// expireThread is started on the first Lookup()
+func (d *dirCacheStruct) expireThread() {
+	for {
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
+		d.Clear()
+	}
+}
+
+// dbg prints a debug message. Usually disabled.
+func (d *dirCacheStruct) dbg(format string, a ...interface{}) {
+	const EnableDebugMessages = false
+	if EnableDebugMessages {
+		fmt.Printf(format, a...)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/fusefrontend/fs.go b/internal/fusefrontend/fs.go
index 5adade6..c0a275f 100644
--- a/internal/fusefrontend/fs.go
+++ b/internal/fusefrontend/fs.go
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ type FS struct {
 	// which is called as part of every filesystem operation.
 	// (This flag uses a uint32 so that it can be reset with CompareAndSwapUint32.)
 	AccessedSinceLastCheck uint32
+
+	dirCache dirCacheStruct
 }
 
 var _ pathfs.FileSystem = &FS{} // Verify that interface is implemented.
@@ -533,6 +535,7 @@ func (fs *FS) Symlink(target string, linkName string, context *fuse.Context) (co
 //
 // Symlink-safe through Renameat().
 func (fs *FS) Rename(oldPath string, newPath string, context *fuse.Context) (code fuse.Status) {
+	defer fs.dirCache.Clear()
 	if fs.isFiltered(newPath) {
 		return fuse.EPERM
 	}
@@ -546,9 +549,6 @@ func (fs *FS) Rename(oldPath string, newPath string, context *fuse.Context) (cod
 		return fuse.ToStatus(err)
 	}
 	defer syscall.Close(newDirfd)
-	// The Rename may cause a directory to take the place of another directory.
-	// That directory may still be in the DirIV cache, clear it.
-	fs.nameTransform.DirIVCache.Clear()
 	// Easy case.
 	if fs.args.PlaintextNames {
 		return fuse.ToStatus(syscallcompat.Renameat(oldDirfd, oldCName, newDirfd, newCName))
diff --git a/internal/fusefrontend/fs_dir.go b/internal/fusefrontend/fs_dir.go
index 302fe38..3c71e45 100644
--- a/internal/fusefrontend/fs_dir.go
+++ b/internal/fusefrontend/fs_dir.go
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ func (fs *FS) mkdirWithIv(dirfd int, cName string, mode uint32) error {
 	// the directory is inconsistent. Take the lock to prevent other readers
 	// from seeing it.
 	fs.dirIVLock.Lock()
-	// The new directory may take the place of an older one that is still in the cache
-	fs.nameTransform.DirIVCache.Clear()
 	defer fs.dirIVLock.Unlock()
 	err := syscallcompat.Mkdirat(dirfd, cName, mode)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -57,6 +55,7 @@ func (fs *FS) mkdirWithIv(dirfd int, cName string, mode uint32) error {
 //
 // Symlink-safe through use of Mkdirat().
 func (fs *FS) Mkdir(newPath string, mode uint32, context *fuse.Context) (code fuse.Status) {
+	defer fs.dirCache.Clear()
 	if fs.isFiltered(newPath) {
 		return fuse.EPERM
 	}
@@ -142,6 +141,7 @@ func haveDsstore(entries []fuse.DirEntry) bool {
 //
 // Symlink-safe through Unlinkat() + AT_REMOVEDIR.
 func (fs *FS) Rmdir(relPath string, context *fuse.Context) (code fuse.Status) {
+	defer fs.dirCache.Clear()
 	parentDirFd, cName, err := fs.openBackingDir(relPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fuse.ToStatus(err)
@@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ retry:
 	if nametransform.IsLongContent(cName) {
 		nametransform.DeleteLongNameAt(parentDirFd, cName)
 	}
-	// The now-deleted directory may have been in the DirIV cache. Clear it.
-	fs.nameTransform.DirIVCache.Clear()
+	// The now-deleted directory may have been in the dirCache. Clear it.
+	fs.dirCache.Clear()
 	return fuse.OK
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir.go b/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir.go
index 849a486..4da7fd6 100644
--- a/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir.go
+++ b/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir.go
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 // openBackingDir opens the parent ciphertext directory of plaintext path
-// "relPath" and returns the dirfd and the encrypted basename.
+// "relPath". It returns the dirfd (opened with O_PATH) and the encrypted
+// basename.
 //
 // The caller should then use Openat(dirfd, cName, ...) and friends.
 // For convenience, if relPath is "", cName is going to be ".".
@@ -18,10 +19,10 @@ import (
 // openBackingDir is secure against symlink races by using Openat and
 // ReadDirIVAt.
 func (fs *FS) openBackingDir(relPath string) (dirfd int, cName string, err error) {
+	dirRelPath := nametransform.Dir(relPath)
 	// With PlaintextNames, we don't need to read DirIVs. Easy.
 	if fs.args.PlaintextNames {
-		dir := nametransform.Dir(relPath)
-		dirfd, err = syscallcompat.OpenDirNofollow(fs.args.Cipherdir, dir)
+		dirfd, err = syscallcompat.OpenDirNofollow(fs.args.Cipherdir, dirRelPath)
 		if err != nil {
 			return -1, "", err
 		}
@@ -29,6 +30,13 @@ func (fs *FS) openBackingDir(relPath string) (dirfd int, cName string, err error
 		cName = filepath.Base(relPath)
 		return dirfd, cName, nil
 	}
+	// Cache lookup
+	dirfd, iv := fs.dirCache.Lookup(dirRelPath)
+	if dirfd > 0 {
+		name := filepath.Base(relPath)
+		cName = fs.nameTransform.EncryptAndHashName(name, iv)
+		return dirfd, cName, nil
+	}
 	// Open cipherdir (following symlinks)
 	dirfd, err = syscall.Open(fs.args.Cipherdir, syscall.O_RDONLY|syscall.O_DIRECTORY|syscallcompat.O_PATH, 0)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -49,6 +57,7 @@ func (fs *FS) openBackingDir(relPath string) (dirfd int, cName string, err error
 		cName = fs.nameTransform.EncryptAndHashName(name, iv)
 		// Last part? We are done.
 		if i == len(parts)-1 {
+			fs.dirCache.Store(dirRelPath, dirfd, iv)
 			break
 		}
 		// Not the last part? Descend into next directory.
diff --git a/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir_test.go b/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir_test.go
index 8453e52..f784989 100644
--- a/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir_test.go
+++ b/internal/fusefrontend/openbackingdir_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 package fusefrontend
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 
@@ -53,7 +56,9 @@ func TestOpenBackingDir(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	err = syscallcompat.Faccessat(dirfd, cName, unix.R_OK)
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Error(err)
+		fmt.Printf("pid=%d dirfd=%d dir1->cName=%q: %v\n", os.Getpid(), dirfd, cName, err)
+		time.Sleep(600 * time.Second)
+		t.Errorf("dirfd=%d cName=%q: %v", dirfd, cName, err)
 	}
 	syscall.Close(dirfd)
 
diff --git a/internal/nametransform/dirivcache/dirivcache.go b/internal/nametransform/dirivcache/dirivcache.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 962ae37..0000000
--- a/internal/nametransform/dirivcache/dirivcache.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,102 +0,0 @@
-package dirivcache
-
-import (
-	"log"
-	"strings"
-	"sync"
-	"time"
-)
-
-const (
-	maxEntries = 100
-	expireTime = 1 * time.Second
-)
-
-type cacheEntry struct {
-	// DirIV of the directory.
-	iv []byte
-	// Relative ciphertext path of the directory.
-	cDir string
-}
-
-// DirIVCache stores up to "maxEntries" directory IVs.
-type DirIVCache struct {
-	// data in the cache, indexed by relative plaintext path
-	// of the directory.
-	data map[string]cacheEntry
-
-	// The DirIV of the root directory gets special treatment because it
-	// cannot change (the root directory cannot be renamed or deleted).
-	// It is unaffected by the expiry timer and cache clears.
-	rootDirIV []byte
-
-	// expiry is the time when the whole cache expires.
-	// The cached entry might become out-of-date if the ciphertext directory is
-	// modified behind the back of gocryptfs. Having an expiry time limits the
-	// inconstancy to one second, like attr_timeout does for the kernel
-	// getattr cache.
-	expiry time.Time
-
-	sync.RWMutex
-}
-
-// Lookup - fetch entry for "dir" (relative plaintext path) from the cache.
-// Returns the directory IV and the relative encrypted path, or (nil, "")
-// if the entry was not found.
-func (c *DirIVCache) Lookup(dir string) (iv []byte, cDir string) {
-	c.RLock()
-	defer c.RUnlock()
-	if dir == "" {
-		return c.rootDirIV, ""
-	}
-	if c.data == nil {
-		return nil, ""
-	}
-	if time.Since(c.expiry) > 0 {
-		c.data = nil
-		return nil, ""
-	}
-	v := c.data[dir]
-	return v.iv, v.cDir
-}
-
-// Store - write an entry for directory "dir" into the cache.
-// Arguments:
-// dir ... relative plaintext path
-// iv .... directory IV
-// cDir .. relative ciphertext path
-func (c *DirIVCache) Store(dir string, iv []byte, cDir string) {
-	c.Lock()
-	defer c.Unlock()
-	if dir == "" {
-		c.rootDirIV = iv
-	}
-	// Sanity check: plaintext and chiphertext paths must have the same number
-	// of segments
-	if strings.Count(dir, "/") != strings.Count(cDir, "/") {
-		log.Panicf("inconsistent number of path segments: dir=%q cDir=%q", dir, cDir)
-	}
-	// Clear() may have cleared c.data: re-initialize
-	if c.data == nil {
-		c.data = make(map[string]cacheEntry, maxEntries)
-		// Set expiry time one second into the future
-		c.expiry = time.Now().Add(expireTime)
-	}
-	// Delete a random entry from the map if reached maxEntries
-	if len(c.data) >= maxEntries {
-		for k := range c.data {
-			delete(c.data, k)
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	c.data[dir] = cacheEntry{iv, cDir}
-}
-
-// Clear ... clear the cache.
-// Called from fusefrontend when directories are renamed or deleted.
-func (c *DirIVCache) Clear() {
-	c.Lock()
-	defer c.Unlock()
-	// Will be re-initialized in the next Store()
-	c.data = nil
-}
diff --git a/internal/nametransform/names.go b/internal/nametransform/names.go
index 33128b9..638a9eb 100644
--- a/internal/nametransform/names.go
+++ b/internal/nametransform/names.go
@@ -9,15 +9,13 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/rfjakob/eme"
 
-	"github.com/rfjakob/gocryptfs/internal/nametransform/dirivcache"
 	"github.com/rfjakob/gocryptfs/internal/tlog"
 )
 
 // NameTransform is used to transform filenames.
 type NameTransform struct {
-	emeCipher  *eme.EMECipher
-	longNames  bool
-	DirIVCache dirivcache.DirIVCache
+	emeCipher *eme.EMECipher
+	longNames bool
 	// B64 = either base64.URLEncoding or base64.RawURLEncoding, depending
 	// on the Raw64 feature flag
 	B64 *base64.Encoding
diff --git a/internal/syscallcompat/open_nofollow.go b/internal/syscallcompat/open_nofollow.go
index 3953a27..db39415 100644
--- a/internal/syscallcompat/open_nofollow.go
+++ b/internal/syscallcompat/open_nofollow.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ func OpenDirNofollow(baseDir string, relPath string) (fd int, err error) {
 		return -1, syscall.EINVAL
 	}
 	// Open the base dir (following symlinks)
+	// TODO: should this use syscallcompat.O_PATH?
 	dirfd, err := syscall.Open(baseDir, syscall.O_RDONLY|syscall.O_DIRECTORY, 0)
 	if err != nil {
 		return -1, err